Brothers United
by Venka's Sister
Summary: What has happen when the Western Lands say that Lord Sesshoumaru is now unneccasary and try to overthrow him in a time of weakness. Now who can help Sesshoumaru but his rival and brother. Can he help him or will he fail as well. slash inucest
1. Prologue

This is a re-do to grab more people so I hope you like that I'm updating all my chapters for your benefit and mine.

**Prologue**

The sun was still low and the sky glowing orange over the tree's canopy. Inuyasha sat up on a high branch over his sleeping comrades. He started when he felt something coming, and it was huge and furious.

"Hey wake up you idiots! We got to get going now!"

Miroku, Sango, and Kirara woke up abruptly and looked around while Kagome's eyes creaked open and glowered up at an annoyed-looking inuhanyou.

"Inuyasha what is so important to wake us up so early?" said an irritated Kagome, as she rose of her sleeping mat.

"I sense a load strong demons heading these way and I can tell Sesshoumaru among them", Inuyasha said. He jumped down from the tree, drawing hand toward the tetsusaiga.

"Why would Sesshoumaru be coming this way?" asked Miroku.

"Maybe he wants to fight with you for the tessaiga?" Sango shrugged as she smoothed hair back in a ponytail.

"No way, Sesshoumaru doesn't want the tessaiga, and how does that explain the other demons, huh?"

"Why don't we check it out? They are coming this way anyway" suggested Kagome.

So the inu, miko, monk, demon-slayer, fox and fire cat rounded up their camp site and headed towards the large gathering of demons. As they walked toward the impending doom, Inuyasha had a feeling that this fight may be a bit different. He kept his nose to the south as he felt the majority stop. The feudal group keeps this heading not knowing what was ahead of them.

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Again it not long but I don't like lengthy prologues. Review please.


	2. Before the Battle

This is the first chapter of Brother's United and I hope that you will read and like it so you can go to the next chapter.

_Sesshoumaru's thoughts _**Inuyasha's thoughts**

**Chapter One: Before the battle**

As much as he hated to run from a fight, Sesshoumaru had to put some distance between him and his human ward

As much as he hated to run from a fight, Sesshoumaru had to put some distance between him and his human ward. He could not have her used as leverage or protect her as he usually did. It wasn't as if he was scared or weak, but he would have to do this carefully and with finesse. As the lord of the western lands he was known for his power and intelligence. He finally came to a clearing and waited until they came for him. He smelled another familiar scent coming from another direction. _'__I don't need another to add to the opponents.' _Sesshoumaru austerely thought_._

The first and fastest group of demons reached him first. Three weasel demons and four wind-dragons. A female dragon was the first daring enough to attack Sesshoumaru. She was blocked easily and with a sneer, "As excepted your lordship. This fight will be most interesting." Wordlessly Sesshoumaru push her backwards and the battle began.

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Elsewhere….

'**I don't think this is a good idea to bring all of them'** "Hey guys, why don't you guys stay here till I see if it is clear. They have stopped a short ways from here." said Inuyasha

"Why would we Inuyasha? We been against strong demons before." asked Miroku. "Because I think there is something up and I don't want y'all there when it happens."

"Okay Inuyasha. We trust you, but take Kirara with you to signal us if there is trouble. Okay?" Kagome said. She reached out to his arm, gripping on to his haori. The human in Inuyasha wanted to reassure her that everything would be okay, but the youkai in him said otherwise.

"Feh, whatever Kagome. Come on Kirara!" Inuyasha shook her off. He turned away from her and nodded to Kirara.

Then Inuyasha ran towards the battle that had just begun.

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B_ack with Sesshoumaru._

'_Stupid little brother. I guess I will have to kill you today as well.' _Sesshoumaru thought as he kept his eyes on the surrounding demons. Inuyasha would come and add to his problems, as numerous as they were.

The weasel had joined in, sending spike everywhere. "You all are such a nuisance to me. So die." With that said he killed them all with his poison whip and his sword, the Tokijin. Sesshoumaru stood and waited for the nest round to come. He could feel an immense demonic aura come toward him from the west. The Taiyoukai turned to meet them.

The strike came as an aerial attack from circling winged-demons. Sesshoumaru dodge the blast and swooping sparrow demons. The most powerful demons came through the exterior of the battlefield. A large tiger demon with orange hair and black stripes across his cheeks and going into his hair, "Why milord, you must have been very annoyed to kill such weak demons. But now you are weak and your weakness is your affection for a human girl;" he spat the ending, "Ha! You were weak before that. You even lost your arm to your half-human little brother. The western land needs a strong leader now. That why I shall become the next lord." The youkai stood prideful and strode with a pompous gait.

Sesshoumaru coldly glared, "Hiroto-san, you are awfully mistaken in most of your assumptions, as usual; except that this land needs another leader and that I am _annoyed. _Even if by some miracle that hell rises up and you kill this Sesshoumaru you would have to kill the next inline of my father's heirs. I assume you know whom that is, since you just spoke of him, _Hiroto._ And that human is of none of my concern or yours."

They stared each other down until wind from Inuyasha direction blow through the clearing. _'Idiot Inuyasha, but at least he didn't bring those useless humans of his. He will probably figure out what is happening and leave me be or join this traitors in trying to conquer me. Ha! That would be giving the hanyou too much credit. His stubbornness will probably disable the limited brain power he does have.'_

The wind blew through Sesshoumaru's hair and around give him a look of perfect beauty. If it not for battle any demon or human would gasp in awe. Sesshoumaru's icy stare was the only was the only thing that kept Hiroto from giving in to his instincts and ravishing the deadly dog demon. Of course Sesshoumaru could tell that the surrounding demons were attracted by his looks. He had all of his life and is actually his was so cold and strong, to warn demons he doesn't play with anyone. _'How simple of them, I can see their lust and smell their arousal. Idiots. They know I could kill them at the slightest moments.'_ "Let the fight began, for all of you have betrayed me and the western lands."

"Fine with me Sesshoumaru, Attack!" Hiroto yelled and signaled the army behind him to proceed.

Sesshoumaru stood still as he watched the battle begin. Never will this demon lord give up to his subordinates. Not now, not ever.

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I know I got break happy in this chapter but I could fix them. Sorry for the wait but my dad changed internet service and it wasn't letting on but I got it posted again. Review please.


	3. A Bit of Assistance

Chapter Two: A Bit of Assistance

Thought key:_ Sesshoumaru _**Inuyasha **Kirara

Chapter Two: A Bit of Assistance

When Inuyasha arrived the fight had been going a good while. Even though outwardly Sesshoumaru showed nothing but annoyance, it was contrary to how he felt inside. He hadn't fought so many upper-level demons since he had lost his arm. None were as strong as he individually, but together they were much stronger and they were the strongest and most cunning of the western demons.

They had been able to land minor injuries on the demon lord, but nothing that would normally affect him. The army had picked his weakest time of year to act. Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru had inherited his mother's clan ability to mate more than one time a year. Original mating season was nothing compared to this mating urge. To make matters worse, it attracted strong demon that were near his level, rarely higher; he was surround by some of them while weakening.

A large reserve of his power went out to attract strong demons that were suitable mates and warn away weaker demons that he was way out of their league. Ones that he could and would kill them if they tried to court or seduce him.

He was used to female demons going after him since he hit young adulthood. In recent years the number of male suitors has increased much to his displeasure. Some males were respectful, but Sesshoumaru found that he didn't really want them. Others were stronger, but totally rude and big-headed. They assume just because they were strong, that Sesshoumaru would pick them with no concern about their 'flaws'. Boy, were they wrong! One even had the audacity to rush up to him and kiss him on the lips in front of Rin last year. He died before he had the chance to pull away.

The season had just started him, so he made many changes to his aura, but his power was dropping and the others were most likely at full strength. Of course the demons all knew of his "condition" and were making crude, bold and suggestive statements toward Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha heard some of this comments and he was confused. He knew Sesshoumaru could handle himself against these demons, even though they were strong. **'I wonder why Sesshoumaru is not using his full strength to take all these demons out merciless like he usually does? Oh my….Sesshoumaru actually seems kind of … tired?!' **

"Oh my god! There no way he should be tired now. Even I wouldn't be tired yet." Inuyasha whispered to himself as he sat in the tree at the edge of the battle scene since he had arrived, at the moment, just watching. "Something wrong with him Kirara.", Inuyasha turned to look at the fire-cat perched on his shoulder. She mewed in agreement.

A moment later had killed another demon and let out a growl of frustration.

"Now!" screamed called a cougar demon and an energy blast, needles and other missiles came at the lord from all directions, even above him. Columns of pure demonic energy made it impossible for the crippled dog demon to escape in time.

Inuyasha jumped out of his tree where he was sitting to get a closer look. The sight of his older brother with both knees to the ground, head hanging low, panting, hair make a silver curtain around his face, and grasping onto the ground as though for dear life, scared Inuyasha. Even though he didn't like his older half-brother he had always admired his strength and cunning. Seeing someone or anything beat Sesshoumaru other than himself was frightening and made him uneasy for some reason he didn't know.

Then Hiroto walked up walked up to the fallen Lord Sesshoumaru with sword in hand, a cold glare in his aquamarine eyes. Sesshoumaru's body had taken a beating and his energy was long gone. He had to use his "useless" sword to save himself to his dismay. He had tried to stand, but his legs would not move, neither would his arm or his stump of an arm he had would respond.

"Well Sesshoumaru you have fallen and now you're like a helpless pup. It seems that did rise up for I have won," Hiroto laughed and Sesshoumaru only had enough strength to lift his eyes up to Hiroto's eyes.

"Now die Sesshoumaru." The tiger brought down his sword to take the dog lord's life, but it clashed with another, Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga.

"I'll fight you if y'all need a fight." Inuyasha said, as he stood protectively in front of Sesshoumaru.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" Sesshoumaru breathed

"I'm saving you life. You should be bit grateful. Now who are you tiger?" Inuyasha asked, looking between Sesshoumaru and the tiger demon in front of him.

"I am Hiroto, of the West Tiger Clan and I am the next Lord of the Western Lands. You must be the famous Inuyasha, the slayer of Naraku.

"Yeah I am what of it?" Inuyasha growled going into a battle stance.

"I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to take over the western lands. By killing that disgusting half-breed, I have no one else to compete with" Hiroto's voice was malevolent and purring, adding to the insult. Inuyasha knew the half-breed comment was meant for him.

"Well you should be running scared then because you seem to only fight battles you can win. Now let's see if you can handle another superior demon scared cat." Inuyasha flashed a little fang as he smirked at the tiger demon.

"Big talk for a mutt. A stupid mutt who is trying to protect the some person that has tired to kill you."

"Shut up and fight!" Inuyasha yelled with a snarl, as he struck out at Hiroto, pushing him back several feet.

They fought one-on-one for a while. Then demons decided to take out Sesshoumaru in his weak state. They didn't reach him before Kirara transformed and tore them apart. She then bent down next to Lord Sesshoumaru nodding her head toward him gesturing for him to get up.

Weakly standing, Sesshoumaru climbed almost gracefully on the fire cat's back. _'I can't understand him. I am hardly awake but I will not pass out in front of Inuyasha. I still have my pride, though it may be damaged, it is not incapable of repair. This cat's pelt is… incredible soft; I can't keep my head up anymore…'_ Sesshoumaru passed out on Kirara's back while surrounded with enemies and two allies.

Inuyasha had beaten a majority of them and he was not at all worried about any of them, but he also he knew he had get Sesshoumaru out of here. A little ways from him, Kirara waited with an unconscious Sesshoumaru. It was ironic that the icy dog was being carried by the fiery feline. Inuyasha didn't have the time to enjoy the odd scene; he needed to get the two of them out the way.

'**I could get rid of all of them if Sesshoumaru and Kirara weren't in the way'** Inuyasha thought to himself.

"Kirara! Get out of here. I'll meet you later." The hanyou called to the fiery fenine.

Kirara nodded and flew up into air, quickly whizzing over the trees to escape.

As soon as Inuyasha lost sight of them, he went into battle with a vengeance. There were many battle cries yelled, but many more screams of defeat and ragged moans from painful death. Using the most effective techniques, the hanyou massacred what was left of the rebellious army. Hiroto and other generals saw that they were beaten. They retreated with the injured and went back to their encampment.

Kirara thought about going back to the camp, but she knew she couldn't with this defenseless demon lord on her back. She flew until she was in a well covered area that also had a decent-sized lake not far from the others of her group. The fire-cat demon landed and tired to lower the dog demon to the ground softly as possible. She had to slide Sesshoumaru down her back toward her twin tails without burning him. When he was finally on the ground she transformed back to her smaller form and sat next to Sesshoumaru.

After some time Sesshoumaru's breathing became ragged and fast. Kirara was not one to panic, so she slowly started to examine him and analyze the situation. She walked around the demon looking over every inch, checking him for injury or anything foreign that could be hurting him.

'What could have him so breathless? He was fine a moment ago. Ah. His armor must be terribly heavy.' So the kitty went to work, with her teeth, until all his armor was undone and removed from the weakened body. The inuyoukai didn't even stir from his slumber.

Kirara was a bit worried because of this. No demon should sleep so deeply during the day, and in the open no-less. He smelled divine and he would certainly attract other demons. Kirara was worried but curled up on his chest that was steadily rising and falling.

His scent had become more potent since he started to have trouble breathing and he was incredibly calm and looked angelic. Kirara was almost certain that he was in heat with the odor that he was giving off. She would watch for other demons and let nothing happen to him while she waited for Inuyasha to come for them.

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This is the revised version. But I still want people to review for the chapter. Please I mean because its not a command.


	4. Sibling Quarrel

Hey again, I know that they are short I tried to make them longer but it still short though this isn't as short it is short by most standards i suppose but I'll try. thanks for the reviews though it amazing to me this is my 1st story.

_Sesshoumaru's thoughts _**Inuyasha's thoughts**

Chapter Three: Sibling Quarrel

Inuyasha followed Kirara's scent into the forest until he found her curled up on Sesshoumaru armor-less chest. Inuyasha walked slowly so that Sesshoumaru would not think that he was an enemy or threat. Kirara lifted her head and watched Inuyasha approached. Inuyasha peered down at Sesshoumaru and for the first time he saw that Sesshoumaru looked vulnerable and how flawless he looked when he wasn't trying to kill him. Kirara mewled and nudged Sesshoumaru and licked his cheeks but there was no response. Inuyasha yelled his name and he didn't even shift. The way he was sleeping you could mistake him for died, save that he was breathing.Sesshoumaru smelled different as well and it was get to Inuyasha, put him on edge.

The inu-hanyou pondered, **'What is wrong with him? It's like he has a fever but his a demon and demon don't get sick. Hell, even I don't get sick. Maybe I should check if he has fever? Maybe he was injured worse than I thought, though I don't smell any blood. Damn, he smells good that must be why those demons were saying those things.'**

Inuyasha went and wet a rag in the near by lake. He put the damp rag on Sesshoumaru's forehead and loosened his shirt. Inuyasha sat close but out reach in case he woke up and attacked him. Sesshoumaru slept until the middle of the night.

The demon canine woke oddly calm and sat up and observed his surroundings. First thing he noticed was Inuyasha here and had his guard down. The second thing was he was unaware of where he or Rin was, and that was feeling weak and groggy. Third that he didn't have any of his normal armor on and he didn;t take it off.Finally that it was night and the moon and star were shining brightly above him. Being a logically person that he was the first thing he asked was, "Why are you still here helping me and where am I?"

"You are in your forest away from the battle that just you fought. Speaking of battle what were they talking about Sesshoumaru?"

"What are you talking about hanyou?" Sesshoumaru said looking at the cat on his lap where Kirara had leapt on.

"You know I could do without the insults since I just saved you!" Inuyasha half growled.

"And I talking about them comments some of the demons were saying to you in a _suggestive_ way." Inuyasha was fidget around by this end of this sentence which surprised Sesshoumaru because Inuyasha wasn't one to tip toe on something, he would be brash and to the point. "Nothing of your concern, Inuyasha. Also I didn't insult you I called what you are in respectful way."

Inuyasha was about to get angry but realized that Sesshoumaru wasn't trying to make him bad or worthless he just didn't want to say his name. Inuyasha almost smiled but that he could be seen as a child in front of his brother now and ruin the moment. Inuyasha was still in his little world when Sesshoumaru tried to stand up and failed. Sesshoumaru discovered that his legs still not working and ended up on his knees and hand. Sesshoumaru quietly groaned in his throat as he sat back on his already numb legs. Inuyasha thought of watch after Sesshoumaru but he knew he wouldn't accept it.

"Sesshoumaru you should rest till your strength returns then you can do what you want and I can return to my camp before Kagome go to full-wench mode." Inuyasha said. "I don't want nor need your help half-breed. So you can go back to your human mate." Sesshoumaru spat at his younger brother. "She is not my mate and I am pretty sure she will never be! Stop being stubborn and let me help you, Sess." Inuyasha retorted before thinking of what he was saying. "What did you call this Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru questioned Inuyasha who had taken a step back just in case, he still had that poison whip.

"I accidentally called you Sess, okay. It just came out, so don't all angry about it." Inuyasha said trying hard not to blush or move at all to hide his embarrassment. Sesshoumaru just glared at him in way that you do to children that has done something awful.

"Look I'm sorry okay I'll call you by your long full name for now on. Just stop looking at me."

Sesshoumaru didn't look away and said in a calm voice "Shortening my name is a sign of disrespect that I will not accept. You should think things through before saying it in place of higher demons."

"Ha! Not like I would get any respect from any of them any ways even if I am the strongest in all of Japan. No one treats a half-demon with respect and you are no exception. Demons weaker than me get more respect just they are all of one kind. Humans think of me as a monster and I have seen some of the worst things imagined done be humans. One human kills dozens of innocents but is not deemed a monster as I." Inuyasha ranted, eyes glowing with rightful anger and a minute amount of hurt. Sesshoumaru turned his face away not wanting to see all the things that may have been behind those golden eyes.

'_I assume that he would have a hard life and of course no where to go where he is accepted. He says it as I have didn't have a hard life as well.' _"You should just leave me. Go back to your companions"

"Fine, I'll leave but Kirara here to watch you and to find me if something goes wrong that you and her can't handle."

Inuyasha glanced at the small demon for her agreement. Sesshoumaru could hardly keep himself from growling. "I don't need a baby-sitter. I am not a defenseless pup, so leave me alone now!"

"Yes you do! What if some demons attack you? I know you are not defenseless but you are not strong after that battle and you power hasn't gone up enough for me to leave you alone so just deal with it." Inuyasha said then stomped off in the woods leaving an upset Sesshoumaru.

Kirara looked up at Sesshoumaru and mewed at him. They stared at each other for a moment or two then Sesshoumaru decided that he should try and walk again so that he could leave this place before Inuyasha comes back to "check up" on him. Reaching for the nearest tree the great Sesshoumaru pulled himself up so that he may try to walk proudly again and kill those who had betrayed him.

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A heads ups, I am thinking of turning it into a yaoi fic if you haven't guessed but nothing heavy right now and I might not update for a few days because I still have school work that I 'm neglecting but I have it up as soon as possible. 


	5. Explanations

Chapter Four: Explanations Chapter Four: Explanations

Inuyasha went back to where he had left his friends. It was night by the time the hanyou reached them by scent. He had hoped they all would be sleeping, but he had no such luck.

Kagome was sitting in front of the fire they had started gazing hotly at the flames. When Inuyasha enter from behind a few surrounding bushes her gaze rounded immediately to him. "Where have you been Inuyasha? We were worried about you. You were gone for hours and we didn't no if something had happened to you and what if we those demons had defeated you?" Kagome hissed at the hanyou whom stood up abruptly.

"I had to take care of something before I came back here. I will explain it to you tomorrow. Kagome you need to get some sleep." Inuyasha whispered, hotly but softly trying not to wake up everyone else.

"You better Inuyasha." Kagome turned and went to her sleeping bag which she shared with Shippo. Inuyasha leapt up into a near by tree and thought of what he should do about Sesshoumaru.

'**I don't know if I should help out that jerk. I know he would help me if it was him. I guess he did help out us in defeating Naraku, but he was probably doing it for his own reasons. He has become nicer and doesn't kill people the moment he meet them since he meet that human girl. He seems to be showing compassion for human and even demons.**

**That probably why they think he isn't as tough as before. I wonder where he hid Rin. Maybe he killed her or left her to die. That can't be true. Sesshoumaru wouldn't just abandon someone he cares about. I think that he cares about Rin since she always there. He has become …warmer, I guess. Uhh… all this is silly, I need sleep.'**

Then Inuyasha leaned back against he tree trunk and went it a light sleep as he always does until morning. Miroku woke up first after Inuyasha and greeted his friend with a smile that was a bit lopsided on behalf of morning grogginess.

After the monk stretched and wiped the cold from his eyes he asked, "How did the fight go Inuyasha? I assume well since you are stand in front of me looking unscratched."

Inuyasha nodded. "I'll tell all of you how it went once everyone is up so I don't have to tell it over again.", his arms crossed over his chest.

Soon after, Sango woke up from her sleeping mat. When the hunter saw Inuyasha she was relieved and assumed that Kirara was also there. When she searched around and she didn't see her feline friend she questioned Inuyasha about it.

Inuyasha answered "Wake up Kagome so I can explain to all of you what happened 'kay?" he was slowly becoming impatient with Kagome, but he knew if he woke her up, he would be sat straight into the ground.

Miroku rolled up his and Sango's sleep mats while Sango woke the slumbering teenager. Once they were all awake and completely conscious, they sat down around Inuyasha who was leaning up against a tree in thought.

Inuyasha told them most of what was going on, expect the demons' attraction to Sesshoumaru and their conversation the night before. They didn't need to know everything.

"So you rescued your brother Sesshoumaru, right? The one who has tired to kill you and take your sword? Why? I thought that you hated him." Kagome asked after his story.

"I don't know why but I couldn't just watch him die like that, all weak and stuff. I do hate him but I guess not as much as I thought I did. I am going back today to see him and get Kirara so I will be back later." Inuyasha told them, authority in his voice could be questioned.

Shippo, obliviously, asked if they all could come too, since Sesshoumaru was so weak and obviously not a threat.

"It is because he is weak, but strong enough to severely injury or kill one of you. So you'll stay here, you little pest, with everyone and I don't want anyone to follow me is that clear?" Inuyasha said looking at all of them and landing on Kagome.

"But..," Kagome blurted.

Inuyasha interrupted "There no 'buts' about so just do what I say. I'm going." Inuyasha nodded and then walked away.

Sesshoumaru's Place

It was early morning and the demon lord was nearing exhaustion. Sesshoumaru tired to walk all the night and had managed to walk to the lake and back with out stopping. He tried to run at his usual speed which proved to be very painful. Kirara had stayed and watched, amused and impressed at his progress. He was stubborn as his brother, even though he wouldn't admit it. Sesshoumaru legs gave out while running and fell to his right side pinning his arm underneath him.

Sesshoumaru laid there for minutes until, "Could you assist this one?" he sighed with great resentment.

Kirara transformed into her natural large form and grabbed him the back of his sash and pulled him to sitting form. Sesshoumaru stood unsteadily, nodding his head at this cat as he walked to the lake's edge and processed to get undressed.

'_I really need to bathe, but it should take longer than usual. I don't smell nor sense anyone near here so it would do no harm.' _ He placed his clothes on a near by patch of grass. He slid gracefully down into the water.

Sesshoumaru rested and let his muscle relax and relieving all his troubles for a moment. After rubbing his body down, he washed his gorgeous silver hair with his one arm. The cool water had small fish and creatures that swam past Sesshoumaru knowing he wasn't a threat.

Sesshoumaru sank down in the water up to his shoulder. _'I have to figure out a way to get that pest of a half-brother to leave me before I hit the peak of this heat. I don't need him here for my weakest time. I have to find Rin and Ah-Un soon before they are found by Hiroto and the back-stabbers. They wouldn't have moved from the place where I left them unless something happen to make them move. _

'_I don't care just as long what is mine is safe. I can't deal with those traitors until I am at full strength. I mustn't underestimate them again because I will not be "rescued" by Inuyasha again. I will kill all of them with no mercy.' _ Sesshoumaru reclined farther in the water with his mind on pleasant future.


	6. Beast Within

The same type of thought keys and now this is one of the longest chapters This is the fifth chapter and the longest one so far I am happy how it turned out and I hope that everyone will like. This chapter is the reason that the story first turned to a PG-13 story. It deals with some sexual situation but nothing really detailed.

Oh this is the first time that we see Demon-Inuyasha and this will not be the last time.

I have to give a big thanks to me beta, lyiint. She is the reason that me story is easier to read without the mistakes.

Thought Key: **Inuyasha's** _Sesshoumaru's_ _**Demon-Inuyasha's**_

_Chapter 5: Beast Within _

Sesshoumaru caught the scent of Inuyasha heading in his directions since he was down-wind of him. The dog-demon wasn't affected by this detail, but he wasn't excited about it either. He knew that his brother would stay away, but he expected him to come back, therefore keeping his promise.

Inuyasha arrived and started to search for Sesshoumaru. He was surprised to see his brother in the lake when he found him.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru, you are stronger than before I left, obviously. By the end of today, I will no longer have to help you," Inuyasha said keeping his distance from the water.

"I never wanted it and it would be my pleasure if you left," said Sesshoumaru, looking at Inuyasha from the water. Sesshoumaru waded into deeper water.

"Whatever, bastard," Inuyasha mumbled to himself, feeling indignant. He really wanted a bit of gratitude from the taiyoukai for going out of his way to help.

Sesshoumaru smirked and stood out the water, facing Inuyasha while he swirled hair around on his left shoulder, spreading water all over the half-demon.

Inuyasha didn't notice the water on his clothes because he had the completely nude, soaked Sesshoumaru in front of him. He was entranced momentarily by his muscular yet feminine body with two scars on his chest and slender shoulders. Inuyasha's gaze was broken when his eyes fell upon what was left of his left arm. Inuyasha felt a pang of guilt and turned away.

"Watch where you fling that hair and get dressed if you want to talk." Inuyasha said in an annoyed tone, shaking himself from the urge to stare.

"Why don't you bathe in this lake as well? You smell as if you need it, half-breed. Are you afraid of water?" Sesshoumaru teased for some unknown reason, even to himself. Inuyasha paused, and then looked at Sesshoumaru as if he had lost it. The hanyou saw that his brother was serious about it.

"What? Are you serious, Sesshoumaru? If you think that I'm afraid of water, then you are wounded in the head, too. I am not getting in that lake." Inuyasha responded.

"Then what are you afraid of? I'm not going to hurt you. If I wanted to do that I could have done that when you turned your back to me. Now get in the water." The demon commanded, straightening his back, and rising out of the water with menace in his posture.

"No!" yelled Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and was behind Inuyasha in a second. He pulled the half-demon back and then he sent flying into the lake. He fell with a loud splash and yelp.

Inuyasha came up again gasping for air, "What the hell is your problem?!" he yelled as he swam to shore, "I am soaked now and my clothes."

Sesshoumaru had glided back into the water, "You might as well wash now since you are now in here."

Inuyasha got up to shore and took off his already soaked shirt, undershirt and pants to lay them out to dry. Inuyasha proceeded to get backing the lake very far away from his brother as if he was diseased.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, "What is wrong? I am certain that you want to talk to me, so why be so far away?"

"Well...eh I'd rather be over here so I call talk to you and not be so close, you know being naked and all." Inuyasha said uneasily, **'That and that if I'm near you my demon side might lose it. I know he doesn't want me as a mate and I don't want him. **

_**But he smells delicious.**_

**It is just the heat that makes him smell that way to attract people and stop thinking like that. He is my brother after all.**

'_**His skin must be terrible soft and smooth. It would feel wondrous underneath our hands. I want to taste him and so do you. Don't deny me!**_

'**I do not and this is my body, stupid. I can deny anything I want. So shut up and leave me in peace!!'** Inuyasha shut his eyes tight trying to push the demon side of himself out his mind. He blocked out everything that dealt with his senses. So much effort was put into it that Inuyasha didn't even sense Sesshoumaru glide through the water towards him until he was only two yards away. Inuyasha eyes snapped open,

"Sesshoumaru! What are you doing?" yelled Inuyasha scooting back in surprise.

"I was wondering what you were thinking about so hard that you would ignore me and not notice this Sesshoumaru approach you in water which carries vibrations. You don't seem the type to get lost in that deep of thought little brother." Sesshoumaru said, looking down directly in to his brother's eyes.

Inuyasha started to fidget about under Sesshoumaru relentless stare. Sesshoumaru gave a small fraction of a smirk. '_How easy it is to make you squirm. Let's see what you were thinking about'._ "Well are you going to tell me what you were thinking about or not Inuyasha? I do not have time to wait for you to think of an asinine story if you aren't going to tell the truth." Sesshoumaru said looking away from the grateful, panicking hanyou.

"No, I won't. I was just relaxing while bathing. It's not a crime, is it Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha said, trying to get away from Sesshoumaru's aroma. Inuyasha tried to evade and get away from his older brother, but his demon side was going into a frenzy over the intoxicating pheromones that Sesshoumaru was producing. It didn't help that they were completely naked and Tetsusaiga was far away with his clothes on the other side of the lake. Sesshoumaru slide into his way sensing his brother distress and faint underlying desire.

Inuyasha was desperately trying to get away, feeling his senses sharpening. Breathing had become a conscious act for him. He knew had to get to the Tetsusaiga before it was too late. Sesshoumaru could sense the demon in his brother becoming more dominate in his demeanor, which could easily turn into an unwanted situation if the demon was after him in his heat. The demon stepped back to observe his brother as he panted over the water.

"Inuyasha, are you able to control yourself?" Sesshoumaru said, slowly backing away from him so not to alarm the half-demon or provoke his youkai side before Inuyasha was able to restrain it.

Inuyasha was quiet for a long while before stepping forward stiffly giving off a menacing aura. The taiyoukai stepped back quietly, before turning quickly towards the tree and where his clothes were hanging. Before he could make it out the lake, Inuyasha had grabbed him growling deeply and baring his fangs at him in an arrogant grin.

Inuyasha threw his half-brother on the shore, pinning his legs with his knees, and one arm to the ground. Sesshoumaru regained control before snapping his fang at the red-eyed demon Inuyasha, "Get off me right now Inuyasha. I swear I will break every bone in your body if you don't!" Sesshoumaru growled in at him firmly. The taiyoukai wasn't about to give up his alpha nature because he was in heat.

Inuyasha's face became very serious and his deep raspy voice said, "You are mine now. I will mate you. You are the most powerful and beautiful demon I have seen in a long time, dear _brother."_ Inuyasha bent down licking, his rough tongue over the nape of his brother's neck.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and his claws glowed green with poison as he prepared to strike, when Inuyasha flipped his face down to the ground, pinning his hand in an awkward position underneath him. Inuyasha grabbed Sesshoumaru's hair, twisting it around his wrist and then proceeded to lick down Sesshoumaru's exposed back, sending shivers up his spine.

Sesshoumaru was really worried now, since no one was around to help him while he was in this weak and vulnerable condition since his body was already seeking a mate. '_I need him to snap out of this before he does more. Damn it! I can't touch that accursed sword of his to turn him back. Inuyasha would never do anything this low and live like a mindless beast. That's it!' _

"Don't Inuyasha. We have been our enemies for a long time but I don't deserve this. Stop this now!" Sesshoumaru bellowed, trying to turn his head and look at his brother from the edge of his vision. He needed eye contact to break through to the Inuyasha he knew.

"Silence. Bitches should be silent unless spoken to." Inuyasha flipped the taiyoukai on to his back and attacked his lips savagely with his own. Inuyasha licked Sesshoumaru's lips for access, but Sesshoumaru kept his mouth closed. Inuyasha used his free hand to grab his brother's stub of a left arm then dug his claw into the bone making Sesshoumaru yelp, causing him to open his mouth the smallest anount, but Inuyasha took that opportunity to stick his tongue in the demon's mouth.

Sesshoumaru bit down on his younger brother's tongue making Inuyasha let out a howl of pain and loosen his grip of his arm. He drew his poison to his hand and stabbed Inuyasha in the shoulder, ramming him onto the ground. He stood quickly to get to his clothes but he didn't have a chance to put them on before Inuyasha pulled his hair back and smashed his fist into the side of Sesshoumaru's jaw. Sesshoumaru heard the sickening crack of his jaw and tasted the blood in his mouth while Inuyasha pinned him again against a tree. Pressing his whole body against the older demon's body, he licked the blood running down his chin from the side of his mouth.

Sesshoumaru felt drained and like a helpless female, which he probably was in Demon-Inuyasha's mind. He felt him grind against him and he almost whimpered as he felt that his body was beginning to betray him. "Stop, Inuyasha. You really don't want to do this to me. I'm not the mate you want."

"How would you know, maybe you are everything that I want. I should be the strongest demon of the Western Lands, not you. That can be changed," Inuyasha said roughly while running his hands down along the marks that graced the demon's hips. His red eyes examined the body in his grasp then looked his brother in the eye.

"Stop….please," Sesshoumaru said quietly the last part knowing that the stranger in front of him could hear him, "Please, don't do what your demon side wants. Fight for me or won't ever forgive you for this, otouto. I beg of you to stop and come to your senses Inu."

Inuyasha stopped and drew his head away from Sesshoumaru as to get a better look. **'Inu? Is Sesshoumaru… He is scared of something, but what? Who is he looking at? I think it's me. He's… scared of me! Gods, help me. This isn't right and it isn't me. I would do this to my brother and make him submit to me like a pitiful wrench.'** Inuyasha whimpered, and his eyes gained their golden coloring but the red and facial marks stay. He stumbles back to the edge of the trees, looking at his hands as they were the most frightening things in the world. "I...I..," Inuyasha stuttered, looking up towards his older brother with tears streaking down his cheeks and his eyes full of regret, shame and fear.

Sesshoumaru made no attempt to move, trying to gain some of his composure. He kept his eyes closed trying focus on what was around him, but he was as scared as he was years ago when he had been a demon right out of adolescence. That he could be reduced to this shuddering effeminate portrayal of his former self, by his own brother, shook him.

'_Get up Sesshoumaru. I can't lay here. Inuyasha hardly has his bearings. I should leave as soon a possible. Look at him; he is scared as badly as a pup. The demon has only come out during a fight, when he was in trouble or possessed. He has never done something like this before.' _Sesshoumaru sat up gripping his stub that had started to clot. He looked at Inuyasha and open his mouth but immediately closed it as wave pain to his head. Sesshoumaru head was swimming and he breathing had become increasingly hard, his lungs were having trouble getting enough air. Though he could not speak he could see Inuyasha was get no better.

Inuyasha was letting tears run down his face, not making a sound before a choking sound came from his mouth. He stiffly got up and got his clothes from the branch in order to get dressed. He saw Sesshoumaru's eyes on him but they didn't say a word to each other. Inuyasha then got Sesshoumaru's clothes, armor and swords, but the he couldn't touch the Toukijin, with its strong demonic aura. He presented the clothes with his head down as a sign of weakness and his great regret for what he had almost done. Inuyasha's forehead met the grass as he bowed on his knees with his hair in front of his face and his puppy ears lay flat on his head. Sesshoumaru reached for the clothes to pick them when he noticed his hand was trembling slightly. He pulled his hand back to his chest and sighed in frustration.

Inuyasha could smell the frustration and anger coming off his brother through his cold shell that had been cracked. There was the faint scent of terror that Sesshoumaru had before and it tore him up inside to have someone he cared about scared of him because he couldn't control the monster inside of him. Inuyasha felt himself breaking inside with memory of his rampage aftermath. Grinding his lip between his teeth, he tried to apologize, but he couldn't speak to him and look his brother in the face after what he had done; trying to mate them forcefully like some low-life demon that was out for some common female, made him feel like being sick.

"Sesshoumaru, please forgive me but I understand if you can't. I would never do something like that normally. It was my fault, and I understand if you want me to leave I will not protest it is your choice nii-san" Inuyasha said so quietly that it was hardly a whisper, but the demon heard loud and clear.

"Inuyasha..," the inuhanyou stiffened, "you don't have to leave but I have realized I am too weak to recover my rightful place. I was so weak that even you overpowered me. I need you to assist me. It pains me to say it but I cannot watch after my own with out you. But if you ever let that raging demon out again I will NOT forgive you and I will kill you if I must." Sesshoumaru's voice went from cold to murderous.

Inuyasha's ears pressed flatter against his head because his brother's tone made them ring, even though he never raised his voice. "I understand. I will stay at a distance for both of us, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha raised his head, with a tear streaked face. He was frightened enough to let his emotions show in plain sight. His hair that was sprawled over his shoulders cradling his face, made him seem smaller. He stood up, yet he kept his shoulder hunched over, and walked past Sesshoumaru careful not to get too close or brush up against him. "I leave so you can dress, okay?" droned Inuyasha with his back turn against him.

Sesshoumaru waited until he heard that Inuyasha move away from him and the lake. The taiyoukai leaned back against the tree, for support so he could breathe. He reached all the way to his clothes and gathered them to his bare chest. Time was slipping away as Sesshoumaru let everything overtake him. He let the emotions run over him, then squashed them down trying to calm the qualms he was having.

* * *

I know that this took a long time but my internet was on the fritz so I was unable to get to my beta. I hope that you didn't have to wait too long and I still don't know how I'm going to move over all the chapters to fit the new chapter. This is the latest redo so I will focus more on the next new chapter.

Review please. ;)


	7. Open Opportunities

This is the normal set up, thoughts and all. Nothing more than a couple OC that are being introduced now. So here it is Chapter 6: Open Opportunities

**Chapter 6: Open Opportunities **

Inuyasha ran until he was a least a good five kilometers away and stopped. He dropped to his knees and ran his hand through his hair, tugging harshly at his ears. His mind was a chaotic arena swirling with guilt, disgust, anger, sadness, worry, fear, nervousness, and the worst of all, his demonic lust. He tried to close his eyes to calm himself, but all he saw was images of what Sesshoumaru looked like as he practically raped him. The thought made Inuyasha sick to his stomach, and he started to painfully dry heave his stomach acids up into his throat. The burning caused his eyes to water and groaning and heaving sounds came from him. He could still feel his demonic side near the surface, but the Tetsusaiga kept it a bay.

Inuyasha turned his head as the wind into his face. Along with the wind came an unwelcome scent of demons and by the smell of them they were low level but a lot of them, maybe thirty. A strong smell of blood washed over Inuyasha. It was such a strong assault on his nose that he could taste it in his mouth. He felt awful and a wondrous idea came to mind. He knew how he could get his mind off …stuff. He stood up and took a deep breath and headed south toward the groups with nothing but fighting on his mind.

Sesshoumaru had always had a hard time dressing himself in all his clothes, so he rarely took them off completely. It took at least an hour to get all the layers on, and in the proper fashion that Sesshoumaru liked it, since he had only one arm to do so. After that, he tied his outward obi in an elaborate knot that only he could undo, or have the patience to do so. Sesshoumaru looked down at the knot when a realization hit him.

'_Why did I do that? I haven't done that in years. Why would this habit come back all of a sudden?' _After contemplating on this idea, Sesshoumaru noticed Kirara sitting patiently a couple feet away. Her eyes were staring bravely straight into his eyes with what looked like sadness or worse sympathy. Sesshoumaru felt the weird sensation as if his stomach had dropped and then anger rose up in its place, a more familiar emotion for Sesshoumaru. "How long have you been sitting there, neko?"

Kirara mewed, "I came when I heard something hit a tree hard and I saw it was you. I saw Inuyasha as well, but he wasn't himself." She stalked towards him and sat on her hind legs looking up at the taiyoukai.

"So, you sat there the whole time. Why didn't help him afterwards? He was in shock and he's your pack leader?" Sesshoumaru was confused and was angry at the neko for just being a spectator.

"I knew that he would go off eventually, and get through it, but you I don't know, so I thought I should watch after you, your lordship, if things became unsavory." Kirara responded in respect since she was from the Western land originally before she joined her first miko companion years ago. How humorous! She is older than her own lord and knows more about him than he does himself.

It was an eerie feeling being watched over as by something that he could fit in his hand. Father had done the same thing when he was away except Sesshoumaru didn't know that was his Asuki, a small violet-blue bird. Asuki was taken away from him when father went into battle and he was left behind with his trainers. They had decided that he didn't need it and it made him too soft by caring for something as purposeless as Asuki. So he made it clear that they were also purposeless by slaying about half of them in his anger. He remembered that day clearly, and from then on he made sure no one knew what mattered most to him so it would be safe away from other that tried to take this Sesshoumaru's happiness.

"Transform. That form doesn't suit you and its easier to talk to that form than this kitten form." Sesshoumaru changed the subject.

Flames wrapped around the small creature as the fire-cat transformed, sitting on her haunches tails flaring behind her. "Better?" she growled mockingly.

"Yes. I will go in search for the half-breed." Sesshoumaru stated, turning on his heels and walking away in the same direction Inuyasha had gone.

Sesshoumaru swiftly made his way through the throng of trees in the shadows of the sun until he came across what looked to be a battle ground with trees gashed with blade marks and the grass torn away. Blood littered the ground and hung fresh in the air. Sesshoumaru followed the trail of dirt and gashes until his brother came into view.

Inuyasha had his back turned and the Tetsusaiga in its rusty blade form covered in blood. Sesshoumaru stopped at a distance from his bother, still hidden among the trees from him. "Have you dealt with all your energy?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly, knowing that the hanyou's dog ears could hear much farther than this.

Inuyasha's head spun around to face Sesshoumaru, eyes half crazed and opened wide with surprise. Inuyasha finished turning around, straightening his back. He was now facing Sesshoumaru, looking slightly below his eyes, not wanting to appear disrespectful, but Inuyasha couldn't bring his eyes up to meet his brother's.

Sesshoumaru examined the scene around him and the remains of the demons that were scattered everywhere, which was very unusual for Inuyasha to be so sloppy. _'Hmm, that most be how he deals with things and he tells me that I'm emotionless killer.'_

"What do you want, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked though clenched teeth.

"I came to see if you had taken the offer to accompany me in acquiring what is mine. If not I will leave," Sesshoumaru said in a monotone while walking around Inuyasha, observing all the corpses and damage.

'**Damn! I haven't thought about anything. How could I? How could he think about that after what happened?! At least the icy mask is back up. That's a good sign.'**

"I haven't thought about it, I've been a bit preoccupied here." Inuyasha responded

"Well think about it I don't want to wait all day and night for you to decide, half-breed." Sesshoumaru said coolly.

"Ah, back to the insults, ay. Well what is that we are going to get if I do say yes to all of this, bastard?"

Sesshoumaru turned to face his brother with narrowed eyes. "Everything that has been taken by those foolish traitors. Firstly, it would be to gather my own companions before they are also mistreated." His voice came out in just the same volume and tone, but slightly different than usual. Only Inuyasha's ears picked this up since he had known his brother for a long time. He could tell that he was anxious about it and furious, an odd contrast to his normal icy demeanor that didn't allow anything in or any kind of reaction to because he was Sesshoumaru.

"You're talking about that human girl, that toad, and two headed dragon that I see with you when we use to meet up?" Inuyasha queried.

Only a slight nod came from the demon lord, since he never bobbed his head in a vigorous and immature manner.

"Well, I guess that you kind of need help now, don't cha? I guess there are other demons that want your head now that you have been pushed out of where ever you live. I'll go, but I have a question, frost queen," Inuyasha stated, running his hand over the top his head, careful not to cut his ears.

Sesshoumaru did nothing. He already knew what was bothering him, but waited until the younger bought it up.

Inuyasha took this silence as a signal to go on. "Well, how is it you can totally shut off things from others in your head? I mean, act as if things in front of you aren't there, or what just happened didn't?" Inuyasha rattled off.

"I have control over my emotions when ever necessary and it doesn't help to act on what 'just happened'. I have answered your questions. We leave at dawn tomorrow. Stay wherever you please, but just away from this one, half-breed." Sesshoumaru said lowly, which Inuyasha's ears had to pick up on it.

Sesshoumaru turned to leave and walked out of the clearing into the nearby trees, leading to the little area where he had left, leaving Inuyasha in the field of dead bodies.

Inuyasha stood there thinking, while birds came to scavenge off the bodies as nature tells them to do. **'What should I do? I wish he wouldn't talk to me that way as if I couldn't think of that on my own. I guess I would need to help him out until this heat is over. Damn, how long is this heat anyway? He didn't say. I could hardly tell he was in heat the way he acts and commands. Most female demons in heat are mean, but would act like a human whore if you were strong enough for them. I guess Sesshoumaru would be different about that since is a lord and a guy, damn it.'**

Inuyasha traveled after Sesshoumaru's path into the woods, planning to launch toward the camp that they had shared, until remembering that his brother didn't want him near him; so he stopped and went southeast away from the lake and grove that Sesshoumaru probably was staying at. He stopped as he came to a cliff overlooking the land of field and forest. Jumping up into a tree he sat as he usually did, and looked over the land. His mind was clear and blank while he just observed his surrounding. The sun was beginning to go down over the fields as dark red and purple clouds encircled the orange giant.

As he was thinking, a thought dawned upon him that he still had another thing to attend to before he could set off.

Kagome.

* * *

Sesshoumaru headed back to the grove and found Kirara fighting, or to be more accurate playing, with some small low level demon. As he approached the neko pounced on the unknown demon's head, then turned into her saber toothed tiger form, and ate him up. The small one's screams and pleas for its life were muffled inside her clenched jaws.

"Please don't eat me! I have a message that I have to deliver to Sesshoumaru-sama before it is too late!"

That certainly caught his and Kirara's attentions. The fire cat opened her mouth and spit the small demon out her mouth, which turned out to be a young wind demon.

It stood up and stumbled around in a dizzy daze until the minute demon regained its composition. It opened its wide light green eyes and glared at Kirara. Huffing, it glided up into the air and swatted at her. Kirara roared as the small demon seemed to whack her nose.

Sesshoumaru watched the scene with slight annoyance and indifference.

"You have a message for me," came his deep voice, making his presence known.

The wind demon spun around and faced him while the green-eyed demon floated upward.

"Oh, there you are your lordship," the demon bowed, "I am Sawa, a messenger from my master, Tomonori-sama. He has this for you. Sorry it took me so long, but I couldn't find you and you weren't with the others that I was to find." Sawa handed a scroll that came magically from thin air.

"_Dear Sesshoumaru-sama,_

_I am most sorrowful about the betrayal of your comrades and subordinates. I am still a loyal subject, for I neither could, nor ever would, betray you and the royal family. I have been run out and I'm hidden among the forest of my people. Many are still loyal and have either fled or been executed by Hiroto. My utmost wish is to help you the best I can. Please pardon my indirectness in my location; hopefully you understand that my messenger could be intersected. Please contact me as soon as possible if I can be of service to your lordship._

_Tomonori"_

'_Tomonori. I have not spoken to him in a long time. I guess he could be of some help as well as those whom I have. I will go and speak with him after I have gotten Rin to safety along with Jaken.'_

Looking down, Sesshoumaru noticed a PS that was added to the bottom of the letter-_ "Also I would ask a favor of you. If you do come please let Sawa come with you? He is my fastest messenger, and I don't want him to hurt or lost because of his scatterbrains as you have probably witnessed if you have gotten this letter."_

Sesshoumaru looked up from the letter to see the little demon spinning around in the air looking at his hair, absolutely fascinated by its shininess. Sesshoumaru held in a sigh. He flipped his hair, smacking the demon back to attention. "Sawa it seems you will have to accompany me as well until we reach your master's abode in the Dark Winds Forest."

"Okay. Is that what master said? Hmmm, that's weird; he usually never leaves me with anyone but his younger sister, Kyoko-sama. She is pretty and looks like master. Have you seen master? Of course you have. Sorry, forgot. Of course you would know him or I wouldn't be here." Then Sawa fell into a fit of giggles.

"Silence," Sesshoumaru ordered.

"Oops. Shhh kitty." Sawa looked at Kirara with his finger in front of his month. The larger demon narrowed her eyes at Sawa in annoyance at the idea that he would blame her for making noise, when she had not talked the whole time.

Sesshoumaru turned around as the sun set in the west through the trees overhead. It wouldn't be easy for him to get the Western lands back. There were many stresses and obstacles to overcome.

You have probalby noticed that a chapter is missing but that is because I am adding to the story and I have put a chapter in teh middle. The chapter before the beast is new and now the chapter 7 is missing so wait a minute and it will be up soon I hope.

Review please.


	8. First Objective

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the series' characters. I do own my own characters and the new villain though he won't be seen for a little bit.

_Sesshoumaru_ **Inuyasha**

Chapter Seven: First Objective

That night Inuyasha slept in the tree and thought about how to explain this to Kagome without her going hysterical. She was so annoying and possessive if he did anything without her permission. He awoke before dawn when the waxing moon started to fade out of the sky in comparison to the upcoming sunrise. He stretched out and then set off towards the camp that Sesshoumaru was staying at, northwest of the cliff side. He walked around the lake from yesterday and he stifled a shudder when he smelled the same smell of his own demonic response. He walked up to Sesshoumaru to inform him of his approach, so he knew that Inuyasha wasn't trying to attack him.

When he arrived, he stood in front of Sesshoumaru, who seemed to be sleeping with his back to the tree behind him. Inuyasha knew that he wasn't, so he waited until Sesshoumaru acknowledged his presence. There was moment of silence and peacefulness, the sun had yet to rise and the dew on the grass was brand new.

"You are prepared to leave, I assume?" Sesshoumaru said softly without opening his eyes. He was increasingly tired and he wasn't as alert as usual. Normal, he would have heard or at least noticed Inuyasha a kilometer away, while today he didn't notice him until he was approximately a dozen meters away. This troubled him severely, though outwardly he didn't show it. _'How am I to travel if I cannot even be alert enough to notice an ally slowly approaching? I wasn't this affected before; I could carry on and suppress the urge, but I cannot this time and I feel as if I could lose my mind because of this strong primal compulsion.' _Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and stood up gracefully.

"Yeah I'm ready. We got to make a stop before we set off though."

"What is that? We don't have time to drag along, half-breed," Sesshoumaru stated blandly.

Inuyasha was about to snap back a retort, but was stopped by a little green light floating at about the height of Sesshoumaru's head. He cocked his head to the side and watched it swirl around his brother's head. **'Doesn't he even notice that thing floating around his head? I wonder what it is?'** Inuyasha stepped up next to Sesshoumaru and snatched it out of the air. Inuyasha held it close to his face in his closed fist, hearing tiny cries from inside. He opened his hand and out came the green light. It shot out and smacked hard, straight into Inuyasha nose hard. For a ball of light that small, it caused a shocking amount of pain to his face. "What the hell?" Inuyasha exclaimed holding his nose.

The green light then morphed into the small Sawa, "How can I sleep if you going to attack me, you ninny?"

"Why you little…!" Inuyasha swatted at the wind demon, but his hand was caught by Sesshoumaru's. "Stop, Inuyasha. Sawa, do not provoke him again or I'll leave you to his whimsy."

"You know this …this little rut, Sesshoumaru?" Sawa asked with pleading eyes, hoping it wasn't true.

Inuyasha was shocked again that Sesshoumaru seemed to have another little being following him. "He is nothing but a messenger that I must return to an acquaintance of mine. You were saying something before you were easily distracted," Sesshoumaru said in matter fact tone.

"I have to make a stop before we send off for your companions. We'll need to settle some things with mine first." Inuyasha said softly as if thinking out loud.

"You do, not me, Inuyasha don't confuse this," Sesshoumaru grumbled, turning away from Inuyasha.

Of course Inuyasha was going to get mad, but then he concluded that Sesshoumaru hadn't opposed it at all, he had stated that it was his problem. Inuyasha nodded and beckoning Kirara they headed off for their companion camp site. They reached the camp in no time flat. Inuyasha promptly jumped down through the tall bushes that had seemed to grow even more since he left. His friends seemed to have left but their stuff was sill around and their scent was still was fresh. He looked around checking for a trail. A few whiffs of the air and he could smell that Sango and Kagome were near a creek. Inuyasha went cautiously towards them at a normal pace. He was about to walk right in, but then he had a thought; one that might save him from pain and make it easier for him to explain if their happy.

Inuyasha looked over there and observed them both before he said anything. They seemed to be just talking while washing clothes. Those two girls were such gossip about everything that went on in their lives. He had overheard before about everything from himself to their female _problems._ He really didn't need to hear all that that time, so he made a habit of thinking before entering a bath where girls were, especially Kagome. She wasn't as understanding as one might think and accused him of being a pervert which everyone knew was Miroku's title and Inuyasha had no desire to take it from him.

"Kagome, Sango," Inuyasha addressed them, making his presence known.

"Inuyasha!" they interjected simultaneously. They both looked surprised but Kagome's face was the one to sour first. "Where have you been, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, "I knew you couldn't stay with Sesshoumaru for long."

Inuyasha inwardly steamed at the insult, but wisely pushed it aside. "I need to talk with y'all now so I'll get Miroku to meet us at the camp so I can tell everyone at one time." Inuyasha then turned to depart leaving two curious and confused women. Inuyasha wasn't usually that serious unless it was something terrible important.

They gathered their things and returned to camp while Inuyasha retrieved Miroku and Shippo from patrolling the area. Inuyasha then walked around and sat cross-legged on the ground waiting for other to do the same. They all sat down and prepared to listen attentively.

"I am only here to say good-bye to all of you and give Kirara back. I won't be back for a long time from now on," Inuyasha clearly stated.

Shippo asked the question on everyone's minds. "Why?"

"Well, I have decided to help Sesshoumaru get his land back and retrieve his companions that he has hidden before they are found, alright?" Inuyasha explained in an uncharacteristically somber voice as he tried to get this over with as soon as possible because it was like this was good-bye forever, now.

"No." Kagome said with her face turned towards the ground in front of her knees.

"What?!" Inuyasha exclaimed

"No, it's NOT alright!" Kagome yelled, "I want you to stay here with us as long as possible, Inuyasha. So you will not leave."

Inuyasha jumped to his feet and was in front of her in a millisecond, "I ain't asking your permission, girl! I'm here to tell you, that all! What makes think you can make me stay in the first place? I'm not your pet and you WILL NOT order me around!" Inuyasha roared loudly.

Kagome looked up at him in disbelief with tears in her eyes, but that would not change Inuyasha's decision this time just because she was crying. Kagome was shocked that Inuyasha would yell so loudly at her, his so called love. Kagome felt a deep, crushing hurt inside, but that hurt soon turned into anger. He was hers and he would not leave her after all the Kikyo business. She had worked too hard for him to push her away now, especially for the brother he hates.

Kagome didn't stop the tears from falling when Inuyasha stared her down. Everyone else stepped back as they felt the tension grow between the two so called lovers. Sango had Shippo in her lap; her hands covered his mouth because he had the tendency to speak when he shouldn't in these situations.

A long, pregnant pause ensued before either moved. Kagome raised her hand to wipe the tears and mutter a single word. "Sit."

Inuyasha looked down at his beads as they glowed before he was slammed into the ground. How he forgot that was beyond him. As his face he hit the ground he didn't let out a sound, expect for the gush of air that was forced out of him.

'**Wench. She always does that when she mad. Damn prayer beads. Damn Kaede for giving her the darn things in the first place!' **Inuyasha pushed himself to his knees when Kagome said it again. "Sit, Inuyasha!"

Slam! Not as loud from lack of distance. She stood above Inuyasha place on the ground, "I won't let you go now Inuyasha. After all this time, when would you come back Inuyasha? You wouldn't 'cause you would have died or been killed by that jerk of a brother. Sit," Kagome said to him as he looked up at her afore being thrust into the ground, causing it to pulsate.

Inuyasha got up slowly and tensely, his head bowed momentarily before raising his eyes and staring directly into the teenage-age girl's brown eyes. "I am not your property, Kagome. Even with this damn collar, I'm not a dog. I'm a dog Demon and I'm stronger than more demons than you have ever known. I knew you'd be mad, but now you are acting like a low-bred common wench. I don't need your permission, I'm just informing you, you selfish bitch." The half-demon put emphasis that last one-syllable word

Everyone was stunned at that. Inuyasha called her a wench all the time but never anything like that. Not even theri most heated arguments. It left her stunned momentarily. Not a soul moved in fear of setting off the bomb that was about to explode. All this tension was ignored or just went unnoticed by Inuyasha, for he stepped back. "Humph."

"Are you done half-breed, or will I have to wait another lifetime before you take care of your companion's situation?" Sesshoumaru's voice traveled effortlessly over the group as he gradually emerged from the trees. Inuyasha pivoted, around looking surprised at his brother's sudden appearance. **'I didn't even smell him come up. This girl… she has me so distracted that he could have attacked me if he wanted.'**

"We have names you prick! It would be decent enough to learn them, since we've known each other for so long. She's Sango; the monk is Miroku, the fox child is Shippo, and I'm Kagome," the young girl from the future fumed, showing the demon lord showing her irascible attitude that most were unaware of.

Sesshoumaru looked at the girl for a second, and then dismissed her with a turn of his head, looking toward Inuyasha. _'What a distasteful woman. Why deal with such immaturity? Surely Inuyasha can teach her a few manners, well, the few he knows. Rin will never be like her. She's too cocky and why is she a miko? What power does she have?' _

"Kagome, that's unnecessary," Inuyasha stated angrily before turning and addressing his brother. "I'm coming; I told you I'd be back, Sesshoumaru. Geez, you can't stay by yourself or something?" Inuyasha questioned sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No, you said a few minutes and the sun has risen high and you are still here. Time is irreplaceable."

Inuyasha then did look at the sun as it had ascended significantly higher. "Guess your right, we should head out now," Inuyasha said before turning to his friends, "See you later, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara. And good-bye Kagome, go home."

Kagome face flushed with anger, embarrassment, and panic. She said the first thing that came to mind… "Sit."

Again Inuyasha became acquainted with the forest floor. Inuyasha was back up, in her face again. "What was that for, Kagome? I'm leaving, bye." Inuyasha said in an annoyed manner through his teeth.

"Don't do that again, girl" Sesshoumaru ordered, turning to fully face her. She looked at him and then went on about how he was rude and why was he all of a sudden friends with Inuyasha.

The familiar green little sprite came from the behind the demon lord. "I wish she would be quiet. Can I quiet her, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Sawa asked him.

Sesshoumaru raised his right eyebrow a small amount. '_What damage would it do?' _Sesshoumaru eyes shifted to where Sawa was float and nodded. Sawa flew up to the girl chest and, still in orb form, entered her chest.

"_Interesting."_

Kagome gave out a gasp of air as all humans and demons alike watched what happened next. She started to cough violently and out came Sawa, still in the same form as he entered. Sawa transformed back into his mini demon form. Kagome tried to talk but nothing came out to her horror.

Sesshoumaru smirked slightly as she panicked. Sawa flew in front of Sesshoumaru still below eye-level, grinning like a fool. Sesshoumaru was impressed by the feat until he heard it.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I got her voice now," Sawa said in Kagome's voice, "She can't talk." Everyone gawked at the little demon in amazement and surprise. The demon lord thought that Sawa had just disabled her from speaking, not taking her voice into himself. _'Oh he cannot travel with that voice. It would be the death of me or of him, but I must return him to Tomonori.' _"Sawa get rid of that voice, now. It doesn't suit you," Sesshoumaru said.

"But, if I give it back she will start again and that would displease you."

"No, that voice is displeasing this Sesshoumaru. Don't ask questions about it again." Sesshoumaru then turned to face his half-brother. "Come, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru started to walk away with long strides in the direction that he had told Rin to stay along with his servant, Jaken.

"Alright I'm coming" Inuyasha huffed while he walked behind his brother mumbling under his breath, "Impatient bastard."

Sawa flew up in Kagome's face and stuck out his tongue. He demonstrated for her to open her mouth and then took pleasure in barging down her throat (1). He then restored her voice to her vocal chords and flew smoothly out as she exhaled.

"Why didn't you do that before?" Shippo finally asked when Sango had moved her hand away.

"Well what fun would that be?" Sawa winked and glided away after the two dog demons.

Kirara purred on Sango's shoulder, nudging her neck. Sango turned her head to meet the feline's eyes.

They were opened but droopy as if tried. Sango smiled at the little fire demon, "Would you like to rest Kirara? You have probably had a stressful time with the both of them."

Kirara didn't mew in assertion but looked toward the direction the demons and half-demon had exited. Sango then understood that the look wasn't because the cat was tired, but she was disappointed and wanted to be with them.

Sango then with great reluctance, "Kirara, do you want to go with them, don't you?" Her eyes met her companion's and they light up.

Sango sighed, "I'll miss you, but I guess if you want to go I cannot stop you. Please come back and say a friendly hello to Rin for me."

Sango was reward a nudge under the chin. Kirara purred around her neck, swatting at her face with her two tails. Sango giggled and then Kirara then hopped to the ground and bid her master farewell, transforming and flying off after Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru on a new journey.

* * *

1. Forgive innuendo there but it was fun to write.

This is the next redo and it took a while. It was a good thing because it has been hard to get the tenth chapter done and beta'd. I hoped to begin on ch. 11 and 12 but it has come to a halt with a weird transition into and different place and setting. If you can help me fix that would be great.

Until next time, Vaya.


	9. To Reignite an Old Flame

I know that this title is somewhat weird but I can't really describe the events in least than five words. Its okay because my vocabulary is steadily increasing.

_Sesshoumaru's thoughts_**Inuyasha's thoughts**

Chapter Eight: To Reignite an Old Flame

Sesshoumaru walked for a few minutes thinking to himself, _'I see now that Inuyasha doesn't have a choice but to stay with that human girl.' _Sesshoumaru looked back towards his sullen brother, _'He should just kill her, but she looks like that one woman that pinned him to the tree or wasn't it Naraku's fault. I will ask him after a while. I hate to see him treated like a dog by a human. He is the son of the great Inutaisho and so this Sesshoumaru should be the only one to put him into his place not that wretched wench.' _Sesshoumaru felt a tingle of anger and resentment towards his brother for letting it happen, but he felt more anger toward the priestess. Sesshoumaru then looked back at his brother before speeding up his pace.

Inuyasha, stuck in his own world, didn't realize that Sesshoumaru was putting distance between them. Inuyasha then sped up to match his brother's pace. A little afterwards the demon increased his speed again and continued to each time Inuyasha got closer. Soon this turned into a race at demon speed.

Sesshoumaru wasn't going very fast as he could but he was enjoying have his brother close behind him and every time he'd get close, Sesshoumaru would turn up his speed a notch. The demon had been doing this the majority of the day, and by late afternoon it was tiring him out.

The trees were thickening as they went providing, shade as they ran. Inuyasha had an idea how he could overcome Sesshoumaru in this race even at top speed. **'He won't know what happened,****' **Inuyasha smirked, leaping up into the treetops and disappearing.

Sesshoumaru looked up into the trees above him to catch sight of his brother but wasn't able to. Odd, mainly because one would think spotting bright red among the treetops would be easy, especially for a demon. Instead of relying on his eyes, Sesshoumaru used his nose to catch the half-demon's scent but was unable to smell anything other than the bark and greenery around him and his brother's old scent.

'_Clever one. He must have had trained years to hone his skills this well. All these years of hiding have come to use.' _Sesshoumaru kept alert as possible and keeping a constant speed so as to not rush into something that his brother had planned. Just then, the demon lord ran under the tree branches and suddenly caught the sound of rustlings in the trees which he suspected were teasers from Inuyasha to see if he would take the bait. _'If he wants to play games with me, let's see if he can keep up with me now' _Sesshoumaru let red slip into his eyes and he dashed forward at a speed that rivaled with light speed.

'**Damn it! Where did that speed come from? He was just toying with me he knows that I cannot match that, but he can't stay that fast for long now, can he?' **Inuyasha kept to the trees that were his strength, speeding through them and not caring if he was seen. The half demon forced his way through at top speed before reaching Sesshoumaru where he was standing in the forest. Inuyasha silenced his approach as he drew closer, assuming that his demon companion would not be surprised.

Inuyasha dropped down behind Sesshoumaru and immediately knew something just wasn't right. There was no sound or anything around them. Dead silent. In his forest? Their heightened senses could sense the tension and the threat coming. Inuyasha drew his fang casually before him, "This is what I have been waiting for."

Then, as if on cue, webbing came though the trees crossing across each other so as to make a huge web. Inuyasha slashed the web apart with the Tetsusaiga easily and prepared for the next attack when he heard snickering about him.

"How silly of you. Don't you know that breaking a spider's web is bad luck, especially a demon web?" A six-armed man slid down a large tree, nimbly flipping onto the ground arms still on the tree, "Cut this with your sword now!"

The demon stood upright, uprooting the tree with him then tossed it at Inuyasha. Inuyasha raised the Tetsusaiga to split the projectile, but he didn't realize that the web was still attached to the sword and growing as well.

"The hell?" Inuyasha screamed but he didn't move as the tree hurled into his shoulder. Inuyasha stood his ground, gritting his teeth. The trees around him bombarded him from everywhere as he tried to use the Tetsusaiga.

Sesshoumaru was not just watching the scene but analyzing it and how he could avoid being put in an unwanted situation. The taiyoukai knew that spiders didn't usually come alone, but in pairs, so where was this one's mate? The dog demon sensed many webs near by that he hadn't noticed before, but there was no movement whatsoever. The present spider-youkai turned its attention to the demon and took a stance.

"You are the one I was sent for, but I think that that can wait until I'm done here. Not like the fallen demon lord can do anything on his own." The spider then continued his insults as he did the unthinkable and turned his back.

Sesshoumaru was utterly stupefied by this. His normal, calm temperament exploded sending off a wave of anger and rage. Inuyasha, who was ripping the webby mess off his sword, turned before the demon and watched as the stoic demon went into wrathful fury. The red wave of youki flowed in waves, radiating across the forest and making the spider dreadfully aware of the Sesshoumaru's silent power.

'**The spider certainly won't last long,'** Inuyasha thought as he looked about the two demons, forget about his sword.

Sesshoumaru's hands, resting by his sides, dripped with poisonous acid and his eyes reddened in hue. Dog demon claws skewered through the demon's neck without much effort. A deep growl erupted from the canine demon as the spider stared wide-eyed.

Sesshoumaru was like a totally different person and Inuyasha had never seen him loose it, especially over something a lower demon said, but the spider's flaunting had elevated the level of insult. Inuyasha had only witnessed his brother getting mad about something when Naraku escaped again and kidnapped Rin. **'Rin, the only human I've seen my brother care about.'**

"They're looking for you," the spider gasped weakly, "They have a bounty on your head before you….can strengthen. You will be dead or mated. Heh." The demon threw his head back hard with laughter, disconnecting his head from the already dissolving neck.

The distraught demon slowly gained his head and mannerism more accustomed to himself. _'Spider filth. I have to calm down. But I so wanted to rip that worthless waste of flesh apart. I can't be helped now.' _Sesshoumaru looked down at his hand as the acid receded, burning away the blood on his hand. His face was passive except for the slight narrowing of his eyes. _'I feel every damn thing. Hiroto must be determined to keep that title for good. This heat needs to be over now before I do something too devastating. I have wasted time playing with that stupid half-breed and now this spider boy. Why did that insult effect me so much? I felt the need to prove him wrong, as if he were correct or important. Rin and Jaken are mine and must be retrieved.' _

"Inuyasha, shall we continue now," Sesshoumaru said, directing his eyes to the inuhanyou.

Inuyasha looked confused slightly, but somewhat serious. "I'm ready to go. We need to get your ward and deliver that…"Inuyasha stopped wide-eyed, looking around for a flash of green light. Inuyasha inwardly growled at his own carelessness. It was getting to him and the small guy wasn't even his responsibility in the first place.

"Sesshoumaru, do you know where that small sprite is?" Inuyasha questioned the taiyoukai.

As expected, his brother's face didn't change, irking the inuhanyou's last nerve. "We were moving really fast maybe he couldn't keep up?" he was kind of asking himself now that he had deemed Sesshoumaru unhelpful. **'Maybe I should back track a bit to find the squirt. It would probably be hard to find him in this forest.' **Sesshoumaru's strides halted, pausing the hanyou's musing.

The full demon looked straight ahead, focusing on the sounds of the forest before he let out a whistle. It was a sight to see and hear as Sesshoumaru whistled, which carried though the forest as a melody. It wasn't sharp, but it was fast and harmonic. The wind suddenly changed direction gushing toward and upon Sawa rode. The ball floated in the air and wrapped about the trees, slowly unraveling to reveal a drowsy looking wind demon.

He floated right to Sesshoumaru and repeated the tune actually back. Sawa then yawned and looked around before spotting Inuyasha. Sawa sluggishly hovered over toward him and then dropped right on top of his head.

Inuyasha looked up at his head confused. Sesshoumaru looked their way before turning around and announcing that he was going onward now. Inuyasha followed soon after, the light demon still on his head, fast asleep.

Walking for a mile or so in fifteen minutes was easy for the two travelers and their tag along. Things had been silent between the two, as neither was one wanted to start conversation for no reason, but being around humans so long, it unnerved the younger of the two to hear no speech at all. Inuyasha watched his brother and attempted many times but he could think of nothing that was important, so he decided he would talk to his carry on.

"Hey wake up, up there!" Inuyasha shouted looking upward. Sawa perked up into the land of the living.

"Yes, Inuyasha-san," Sawa asked groggy.

"That whistle thing that bastard did up there, how did you hear it?" Inuyasha inquired.

Sawa gasped in outrage "Don't call the lord that. He is quite legitimate." The wind demon whispered harshly directly into Inuyasha's propped up ear.

"Whatever. Answer the question," Inuyasha said, twitching his ears.

"Well, I'm a wind demon, so I'm part of the wind like the air. I heard the whistle and felt it kind of. My master Tomonori-sama can do it too when he has a message for me to deliver. So I guess he learned it from him."

Inuyasha looked forward listening to Sawa, "That would that be…?" Inuyasha questioned as Sawa left him hanging with out information.

"Sesshoumaru-sama and Tomonori-sama are good friends so my master says, but," and Sawa's voice dropped down to a whisper in his ears, "they don't see each often at all to be friends."

Inuyasha snorted at this, but quickly checked himself. That sounded very like Sesshoumaru to keep a distance with friends, he seemed to be a 'keep friends close, but enemies' closer' kind of guy. There was probably a good reason for that, but Inuyasha had a hard time thinking of their friendship, Sesshoumaru being so… icy.

"Sesshoumaru, what of your friend Tomonori?" Inuyasha asked the taiyoukai, who he knew was listening.

"I don't see why that is any of your business, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru's answered his voice toneless.

"Well, I want to know, and since we are going to see him anyway. Why don't you tell me the connection between you two? He can't truly be that bad if he can stand befriending you, bastard."

Sesshoumaru glanced over at his brother who was walking behind him slightly to his left. He walked for a minute, mulling over the need to answer the younger traveler. It wasn't as if he was necessarily right? Yes, he was in a way, since the worst of the heat was to hit on the full moon in three days. Yes, the half-breed was very necessary, if he was not in his castle room by that time. It would mean nothing to him to tell Inuyasha something about himself. "He was my trainer and later on sparing partner appointed to me by father and more so my mother as a pup."

"So you've known him a while now, from teacher to equal, right? Its like you two…"

"No, not equals," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "He is far better than me in skill being that he was my teacher. I should have stayed to train, but father's death put me in charge. So I strengthened myself instead, but in sparring he has always bested even me. The only demon I have heard of beating him was Inutaisho himself. No, not equal Inuyasha just acquaintances now."

Inuyasha was amazed. Not only at this man's power, but that Sesshoumaru had admitted to be weaker than this demon in life. It was the most about his life that Inuyasha had every heard him say at once. Sesshoumaru was always the mystery and never one to divulge his past or motives.

They continued, only on to stop at this ancient tree. Sesshoumaru walked up to the tree and stood in front of it. He raised the Tensaiga and slashed upward cutting the air. Inuyasha was confused, until he saw the tree uproot itself and move to the side revealing an entrance.

"Come Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said descending down into the entrance that in turn was actually a staircase made of stone.

Inuyasha walked into the entrance thinking nothing of it, until he felt the weight on his head lifting. He looked back to see the wind demon hovering in the air again in his small demonic form. "You're not coming?"

"No. I'll stay here. I can't go down there. Its underground so no wind blows there meaning, I just… can't go," Sawa feebly explained.

Inuyasha shrugged. He went down the tunnel/staircase slowly until his eyes adjusted. Sesshoumaru was already far ahead. The youkai's thoughts were elsewhere while he had descended. He should now hear sounds of the three beings he left in the underground room, but nothing was heard. Seconds later the smell of human blood hit his sensitive nose and he could tell it was the girl's. He was used to the scent of blood as he had smelled blood it quite a bit in the past, but this disgusted him in a way that turned his stomach, but his pace stayed the same as he stepped down the narrow stairs.

Inuyasha was having more of a problem seeing and his shoulders kept scratching the uneven walls embroideries. It wasn't as if it hurt, but it was annoying to the inuhanyou. Inuyasha watched Sesshoumaru walk in front, his actual shoulders not touching the walls, but his Mokomoko caught the wall once and moved itself behind it's owner.

Sesshoumaru noticed it as well, noting the resemblance between Inuyasha's problem and his father's when he had walked down here once. They both had wide set shoulders while Sesshoumaru again got his mother's traits with his _slender_ shoulders. _'He is so much more like father in appearance than I. It is another thing that father left to him and not to me. It doesn't matter.'_

When they reached the landing of the stairwell, Inuyasha let out a groan when he smelled burned flesh. Thankfully it wasn't human to his great relief. Stepping into the dimly lit room Inuyasha saw a dining area torn apart with a fire dying away. There was a hole in the same wall near the doorway. On the floor lay two demon corpses badly burned likely by Jaken. Pieces of what he was sure were one demon or maybe more, taking into account all the parts and blood, were littered around the room.

Sesshoumaru smelled life among all this death and called out, "Ah-Un, wake up and tell me what happened."

Then out of the floor came a damaged dragon. It's heads drooled blood with one neck twisted at an abnormal angle which must have been broken recently.

The dragon roared and growled, communicating with his leader, "We were attacked by demons underground. The human youngling hid as was told to under steps. We fight, but too many and can't get out of entrance nor fly. Human youngling was found and taken while they hurt us and take Jaken's staff. They moved the ground and we not see but hear them leave though tunnel, my lord." The dragon's heads looked apologetic with the blood dripping from its hide. It slowly walked over to it lord and bowed as well as it could to show it respect.

Sesshoumaru didn't outwardly acknowledge this gesture, but looked about for some clue to lead him on his search again. _'There must be something here, but all this blood dilutes the scent. Jaken nor his staff is here, so they must have been taken out to somewhere; and how did anyone know about this place other than inu-royalty?' _

Inuyasha walked around the stairs to see a small opening where Rin must have hid. Sesshoumaru's pet said about the girl had hidden in there until she was found. **'They must have been looking for her if they found her so easily. It was no accident to find a place like this. I'll bet the fire rat on that.' **

Rin's scent was strong here along with a smell of her blood. Inuyasha placed his hand down in the blood and felt a bit of something in it. He pulled it out, seeing that it seemed to be bit a cloth from her kimono. Even soaked in blood he could still tell there was something written on it. "Sesshoumaru, I think Rin wrote something on this kimono but I can't make it out. It's terribly written." Inuyasha called his brother over and held out the piece of cloth.

Sesshoumaru took it from him and examined the cloth. It was definitely Rin's writing. He recognized her childish scrawl and it wasn't easy to read since she was just learning how to do the basics, but Sesshoumaru managed.

'"_Demons to man town. Sorry master. Caught." These demons are taking her to a human town to lure me but they better be ready for death soon to do this.'_

"We're going to find her in a human village nearby to the east." Sesshoumaru told Inuyasha nodding to the doorway. They both traveled to the surface, bent on getting revenge or to protect. Neither could decide.

* * *

I glad I got this up so fast after the last one. I would have waited forever and drove all the people crazy with me unreliablity.

Please Review or something because it makes me write faster or more resistance to writer's block.

Bye, Vaya


	10. Attaining Precious Property

this is the beta'd version. thanks for all the reviews I have gotten and the adds. here are some warnings just in case:

language, underage sex, rape, minor prostitution, brothels, molestion in minute detail. But on with the story then.

**Chapter Nine: Attaining Precious Property**

They reached the search area and discovered someone waiting for them other than Sawa. There sat the fiery neko demon in her large tiger form laying down, Sawa entrapped in its tails.

"Kirara! What are you doing here? I left you with Sango to be safe." Inuyasha barked at the neko. She just gave a shrug and purred. "Okay, whatever, we have to get moving now."

'_There isn't time for this. Flight would be quickest now before they do something to Rin. I__t's__ quickest if we don't search through trees __with__ Ah-Un injured__ and __not able to fly.' _Sesshoumaru cleared his head so it was not clouded by emotions that were permeating his thoughts. Sesshoumaru thought of flying himself, but it would take too much to do it so he looked at Kirara.

"Neko, we need to ride eastward on your back." Sesshoumaru said to Kirara who nodded.

Inuyasha agreed as he thought about how they could get there. He was surprised that Sesshoumaru had said "we" as they were both riding Kirara. He looked at the entrance and the two-headed dragon was coming up the stairs. Kirara roared as she hunched down to the ground so they could get going.

Sesshoumaru walked over to the fire-neko and went to get on when he noticed that Inuyasha was fidgeting again. "Half-breed, get on." He told Inuyasha, looking angrily at his brother.

"I'll run instead. I can keep up." Inuyasha objected. He stood solidly on the fact that he could not get that close to his brother. He preferred to keep his distance and had been able to, until now. It was hard to ignore the taiyoukai's scent when they were that close together. He hadn't really the time to get that close with his adrenaline running on high and he could feel the demon trying to erupt right then as he thought about it.

Sesshoumaru glared at him, "Get on. This is the fastest and most efficient way to get to Rin, so don't argue so much. I'll help you to stay calm. I know that I am still… addicting, but I'll hold it off as long as possible if you wish. Now get ON!" Sesshoumaru sat straight up on the back of Kirara.

Inuyasha glared at the youkai, but sighed with a huff and got on behind his brother. Sesshoumaru kept his promise and somehow stopped giving off that attractive pheromone. Kirara launched into the air and they sped though the air.

Sesshoumaru keep his nose alert for Rin's scent as they went. The wind rushing by them blew the demon's long hair right into Inuyasha's face. Growling, the hanyou grabbed the wayward tresses into his hand and twisted it together into a single ponytail so it could rest over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, opposite of his moko-moko. This would have normally annoyed the taiyoukai, but he was concentrating on his scent not leaking out and distracting the hanyou.

"Look down there." Sawa said from a top of Kirara's head. Down in the forest, just barely visible, there was evidence of a group passing though. Not far from the group, there appeared to be a huge hole burrowing out of the ground. Kirara dripped longer to the trail and sped down towards it knowing what she was supposed to do.

Soon the band of demons came to a human village. They disembarked from the fire neko midair, landing gracefully onto the ground and walked into the village. As they entered, the women rounded up their children and hid inside their homes. The men flinched away, but one was brave and walked right into their path.

"What are doing here demons? Leave or we'll kill you." The bravery that man had gathered slowly began to diminish. It didn't faze Sesshoumaru in the slightest.

"Move, I' m not here to meddle with lowly humans." Sesshoumaru stepped forward and the man's eyes lit up with fear, but he seemed to want to keep going with a show. Sesshoumaru hardly diverted from his path.

Inuyasha yelled to the man and the on-lookers, "We here to get what we need then leave, 'kay. Stop the show, you idiot before you get killed." He was trying to help the humans, but no one would listen to him. **'Idiots! They don't listen.' **

"Liar! You are here to take young girls, aren't you? Just like the rest outside the village." The man shouted. That caught their attention immediately.

Inuyasha looked to his brother and their eyes met. With a pantomimic gesture, Inuyasha gave orders. "Kirara, lets move! Sawa you keep up." Sawa nodded as Kirara roared in her saber form.

"I have an idea!" Sawa exclaimed. He flew up into the air and began to spin and spin until he became a column of light. The air began to swirl around the wind demon, increasing in strength as the sky darkened. The wind started to blow steady from one direction bringing Rin's scent along with it.

"That way." Sawa's voice announced like a whisper, though the brothers didn't need prompting. They had followed this new scent along with Kirara running beside the brothers who were neck to neck. They stopped in front of a large house. There was a sign upon this house: "The Tea of Pleasure". Inuyasha gagged at it and his face paled slightly to think that Rin was in there. Things were certainly coming together.

Inuyasha looked over at the girl's protector to see his reaction. He face didn't change drastically, but his eyes did narrow and that was enough. "So how do you want to do this? Rush in and take Rin, killing the bastards, or walk in and let them try to stop and reason with us." Inuyasha knew he was to hold out for Sesshoumaru's decision. He had a hand lightly grasping the Tetsaiga.

Sesshoumaru growled lowly, but Inuyasha barely picked up on it. Then the demon went up to the house, walking in past the front door with Inuyasha following. Sawa was staying in Inuyasha's hair, anxiety radiating off him. They walked past the curtain to where a young girl greeted them.

"Hello, welcome to the tea house where males are welcome to their choice." The girl said with an eerily cheerful smile. Sesshoumaru glanced at her for a second before heading towards the back.

Inuyasha nodded to her saying, "Stop smiling like that in a place like this, it's unnatural. No one could be a 'happy' worker here." The girl's smile dropped and she lowered her eyes as if she had been scolded. She mumbled something about him being a dirty liar. "Ah, I can hear you. I wouldn't be here much longer. Just leave, you're near the door and this place is going out of business, **really soon.**" Inuyasha looked down on her as she looked up in awe. She snapped out of it and tearfully nodded her head vigorously,

"Thank you for kind words sir."

Sesshoumaru was walking down the hallway ignoring the nervous and panicked girls trying to stop him form going upstairs.

"Please don't go! We will be punished if you disturb them. Please Youkai-sama, I beg of you!" A young girl said as she groveled on the floor beside him. He stopped a moment to look down at the girl then walked around her, letting his silk hakama touch her side and continuing on up the stairs.

His smelled Rin in the room ahead, but from her his nose captured scents he didn't like. He could distinguish rage, anger, confusion, and worst of all, fear. And then he noticed the arousal of men that pissed him off and disgusted him. He smelled demons along with human men. There was the scent of alcohol along with them as they were drunk at the twilight.

Rin's voice coming down the hall caught his in his ears and made him stop.

"Don't lay a hand on me you old man. You are all weak men that could never do anything. Don't touch me! Sesshoumaru-sama will come and you will be in big trouble." Rin's covered her fear quite well and showed her willpower. The men and demons laughed. Rin cried out in surprise and suddenly there was the sound of a slap, a loud slap.

"Ahh! You wretched girl. Don't hit your superiors!" one of them yelled.

"You are not superior to me, youkai. I am far better than you, scum." Sesshoumaru heard. _'How rightly true Rin. Never lower yourself to such. You have become a better woman than I expected and much quicker. They will not disrespect you like this anymore.'_

Sesshoumaru walked to the screen door to push it open and the scene made him more enraged than before. There were the men with drinks in hand, all facing the center floor. There stood his precious Rin in a sleeveless kimono far too small for her.

She stood awkwardly in the kimono trying to pull it down as it didn't even cover her thighs. It clung to her skin that it barely covered. Her hair that was usually down her back was done up into an elaborate system of braids into a flower on top. Rin looked much older than he remembered.

They all turned around. Some stood up yelling at the taiyoukai to get out. Rin looked scared still, but relief flooded her features as she looked at her savior. "Sesshoumaru-sama," came Rin's simple statement across the room heavy with relief

"Rin, go to Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru ordered.

Rin immediately reacted to do as she was told. She was almost out the door when she bowed to the taiyoukai in the utmost respect before running off down the stairs.

Sesshoumaru closed the screen door and let his hand go to the Toukijin.

* * *

Inuyasha was downstairs in the main part waiting for Sesshoumaru when he heard a scream.

"Oh, that sounded bad." Sawa said as he hovered out ahead of Inuyasha. The inu hanyou turned toward the sound of the scream, his ears perked on his head to hear where the distress was coming from. He rushed towards the room where he heard protest and arguing coming from. He ripped the door open to see a sickening scene in front of his golden eyes.

There was girl with bruises all over her face, fighting a man on a futon. It was obvious what was happening and the young girl was putting up a fight, but losing fast. Inuyasha growled before grabbing the man by the back of the neck and throwing him to the left, into the wall. The man slid down the wall to the floor, blood oozing form the back of his head. The girl was in shock and was now afraid of the demon in front of her, nervous about what this hanyou may want. She stared wide-eyed at the demon as he turned his attention to her.

"Hey you alright? Fix your clothes and move out of here." Inuyasha said to her.

"I…I don't know the way." The girl stuttered. He could now see the bruise ugly and purple on her face and her lip was swollen and split.

'**Damn. She looks beat up. How could someone do something like this to a small pup? She looks like she tried to fight, that's probably why she looks so bad. I should get her out of here.'**

Sawa whispered something into his ear. "You can follow him;" Sawa hopped off Inuyasha's head and flew up to the girl with a reassuring smile.

"Hey, Sawa lead this girl out of here without getting caught alright?" Inuyasha turned to the girl, "You can trust him he doesn't get lost." The girl nodded and made an attempt at a smile, but with her swollen and bleeding lip she could only manage a pained grin.

"Are you to release all of us? There're many other girls from our village here." The girl was standing now looking at the body of the man who was dying on the floor.

"How many girls are here actually?" Inuyasha asked the girl. There was many rooms in here and he saw lots a servant girls walking around.

"From my village there were about fifteen girls taken, but there were already some when we got here and they keep getting more so there are maybe fifty girls that came from a village along with the girls that can't …work. Now they're kept in the back and take care of the girls they don't have working because they are too young, I guess," her eyes clouded up as she talked and it made Inuyasha mad, not at her, but at the people that would do this.

"Go I'll get them out." Inuyasha nodded, his hand on the Tetsaiga. Inuyasha set off the opposite direction that Sawa was leading the victimized girl away. The half demon sniffed the air, smelling for the girls and servant. He came down a hall loudly and began to order every girl out, wrenching the man that dared complain about the interruption of 'entertainment.' All along the back hall that connected the two sides of the building there was sex or rape going on, except in a large center room. Inuyasha reached it after going through half the hall, killing some men along the way. They didn't matter; they were perverts that should be lit on fire in his opinion.

He went into the room to see numerous beds packed with girls. Inuyasha smelled the blood of some girls that were in their heat. He noticed a few older girls had the scent of pregnant women. He looked around, his eyes full of heartache and disbelief. Younger girls seemed to crowd against the older, heavily pregnant ones, looking for comfort. One girl was extremely large, maybe eight months along.

'**Dammit! How long has this been going on here? Someone should have done something if it been here long enough that she that big now. She can't be more than sixteen years old. No one is going to marry her now if she has a kid, especially from a brothel.'** Inuyasha thought sympathetically looking at the girl as she stared right back at him.

"Eh…. I'm here to get you all out of here. I'm thinking most of the slaves here were taken from many human villages. Are most of the girls in here now?" Inuyasha asked the group.

Some looked happy, some relieved, some scared, and some were suspicious. The most heavily pregnant young woman spoke first, "Most are here, but more than ten others are taken elsewhere and some in the kitchen, too." She appeared to be tired and her voice carried it.

Inuyasha knew he had already gotten at least a dozen out. "Alright then, lets go!" he said, waving his hand towards the door and the girls came all at once. Inuyasha moved aside as he told the girls the way to the exit if they didn't know already. The inu hanyou walked to the impregnated girl from before and helped her to her feet, seeing that she was having trouble. Once steady on her feet he let go of her. "Okay. What your name?"

"It's Hana. I'm from the Nowa village north of here. I've been stuck inside for a while." She smoothed her hair from her face leaning back a hand on her back. She was thin except her belly as if she hadn't been fed as much as she should. "Why are you helping us now? No one has been as kind to rescue us before." Hana inquired.

Inuyasha looked at her in disbelief. "What, am I to let you all stay here in this dump? I may be half-demon, but I have a heart y'know." Inuyasha crossed his arms. **'You think she would be grateful. A bit of faith would help, though she's probably all out of it by now.'** Inuyasha uncrossed his arms and held out a clawed hand. She grasped it and they walked out slowly. Hana was having a hard time walking about. Inuyasha stepped behind her and scooped her into his arms and carried her.

Hana was shocked and embarrassed as the hanyou cradled her to his chest. Her legs hung down as she looked outwards, trying not to stare into the golden eyes of her escort. Inuyasha rushed out the way he came when he smelled a familiar scent. He stopped at a wall, but could smell the scent coming closer. Perking up his ears he could hear the foot step though the wall as it seemed to be much thinner than the rest.

The wall swung open slowly. Inuyasha took a step back ready for a familiar face to come around the corner. The wall opened and a head peeked out. Inuyasha groaned, it was Rin, Sesshoumaru's ward.

Rin turned around and gasped, "Inuyasha-sama! I found you!" She smiled.

"Feh, I was the one looking for you. Sesshoumaru was looking for you." Inuyasha told her with a raised eyebrow when he saw what she was wearing.

"He did. Thank you for coming for me too, Inuyasha-sama. He said to go to you while I wait for him." Rin nodded to him and to Hana in his arms. She pulled at her dress trying to make it longer.

"Come on then. We have to get out of here to help all the others. Get on my back Rin, so we can move on." With that he carefully bent down for Rin to cling to his neck. Inuyasha stood and ran to where he knew the exit to be.

There Inuyasha met up with the rest of the girls that had been released while he smelled that a few had left for somewhere, probably home. Kirara was in her large tiger form sitting among the girls. A few younger ones crowded around the fiery neko.

Inuyasha stood Hana up on the ground and steadied her before letting Rin off his back. He walked Hana on his arm to ease her onto the ground near Kirara and the playful Sawa. Rin stayed close to Inuyasha as he walked about the young women and girls. Inuyasha sat on the outskirts of the grouping to watch over them while awaiting his brother.

"That iceman better hurry up so we can get on with this soon." He closed his eyes with Rin sitting not far from him. Soon after he heard someone loudly call him, "Hey!!"

"What now?" "Inuyasha muttered under his breathe. He looked out to see it was Hana. "What, woman?" his voice full of irritation.

"What's your name, demon man? I, we would like to know." Hana said loudly towards him with a serious face.

"It's Inuyasha alright? What else now?" Inuyasha wanted to get some rest if they were going to be traveling at night. He wasn't fond of traveling with his brother when he was tired.

"Well, thank you, Inuyasha-san." Hana smiled along with many girls bowing to the hanyou, "Oh, you don't know the way to the kitchen, but I assure you that at least one person is in there." She informed him. Cursing to himself he got up to go when Rin said something to him,

"Inuyasha-sama, did you find Jaken-sama as well. He was taken when I was after they found us."

Inuyasha growled in frustration, "Dammit!!"

Some of the girls oo'ed while some laughed and giggled at Inuyasha's slip up. Not that he cared all that much about it. He could not have a break as long as he was with his brother that for sure. He would have to get everyone else out before Sesshoumaru came out and destroyed the place completely.

Please reveiew as I am an awful person that cannot update regularly. Thanks for staying so far. There is more on the way once it out if my head and on my screen.


	11. Reparation of Many

Holy Moley! I've been gone a long time. Hey if there still people reading this I must be doing awful job updating but I couldn't write Inuyasha for some reason. I don't know why I could get into their characters. I know I deserve nothing but a firm backhand. It has been a year since I wrote for this story. I sorry but it kept getting longer but unbreakable to me so I kept it a bit longer.

_Sesshoumaru's_ **Inuyasha's**

**Chapter 10: Reparations of Many**

In the upstairs of the promiscuous tea house there was trouble.

The screen closed as Sesshoumaru listen to the patter of Rin's feet down the stairs. He looked around the room, his eyes glaring with disgust and disdain. Some stiffen when they realized who Sesshoumaru was and who the girl they were previously going to molest was. The men all stared at the taiyoukai with fear and apprehension. One man even began to panic and hyperventilate.

"Silence, disgusting human. Youkai stand now." Sesshoumaru said quietly, and the man quieted immediately while the low-life youkai stood up straight, but trembling.

His eyes shook in their small sockets as he looked at Sesshoumaru, as if he was looking upon death itself. The room was dark with the screen closed and there were few lanterns lighting the interior. In the darkness, even the humans could see Sesshoumaru's golden eyes glowing bright with silent fury.

As the youkai shivered in front of him, Sesshoumaru thought, _'Disgusting scum. There has to be someone else in charge of these because he couldn't have possibly attacked the safe chamber.' _"Who controls the operation here?" Sesshoumaru asked colder than usual. The temperature seemed to drop was he voice filled the room with a threatening undertone.

"I do, sir. I send men out for girls from…" the youkai cut short by Sesshoumaru. The taiyoukai swiftly raised his sword to the demon's chin, intentionally drawing blood. The dark-skinned demon decided to change his story.

"I mean that I am next in command and work under Kaname-san, the great mind. If you are looking to kill someone; please let it be him before me, milord because I am a loyal servant of the west." The youkai rambled out, pleading for his life. Sesshoumaru was not moved by his display of 'loyalty'.

'_Loyal enough to give in just to save his own life, hum? I seem to have many followers of that nature. Kaname is a minor commander of the northern area of the west. Treachery breeds treachery.'_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself. He sheathed Tokijin in his sash. His murderous glare never left the youkai in front of him.

The youkai seemed to relax. He tore his eyes away from the youkai in front of him to his fellow co-conspirers to his right. That was the last thing he saw before he was beheaded by a poisonous whip.

The air smelled of burned flesh as the sound of the skin of the demon burned. All looked on in horror of what had just happen to the most daring of them all. A youkai by the name of Hiei tried to dash for the window that farthest from the enraged taiyoukai. He scrambled to it just to find Sesshoumaru already there. Sesshoumaru backhanded the young youkai across the face sending him across the room. The young demon was dead so after that and not one person moved a muscle for of being the next to anger Sesshoumaru farther.

Sesshoumaru walked to the center of the room slowly with a cold demeanor. Near the center was a man, a human male that reeked of contempt and disappointment. Sesshoumaru turned all his attention to this bizarre scent. _'This man, what could he be thinking? He seems not to fear for his life or doesn't care about any life at all'._ Sesshoumaru took another sniff of the man's odor and smelled trace amounts of envy underneath the other two._ 'Imbecile. He doesn't fear my abilities; he desires to have them, hmm.' _

"You human stand. Where did you find this one's ward? Speak carefully." Sesshoumaru stood ominously in front of the man looking directly in his face from his tall stature. This human's black eyes were deep pools as if into a soul but Sesshoumaru could see one.

The man cleared his throat and said, "I don't know the girl belonged to someone else." Sesshoumaru eyebrow raised a fraction. _Of course she did. Young girls are always someone responsibility. Rin isn't a thing and isn't owned by anyone._ "I don't usually share servant girls with others. If I had known she belonged to you before hand I would not have looked at her. She probably spoiled goods by now. I know you youkai like your girls." The man had been looking down at his lap during his little rant but looked up to see a very angered youkai bearing down him.

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe his ears, but he knew he had heard correctly. He was in disbelief still but every fiber of his being was screaming out with rejection and resentment. What was wrong with these people? They had to all be the most disgusting things he had ever had the misfortune to find.

"What?!" Sesshoumaru roared as he looked around. His question turned into a low growl. The man looked into the taiyoukai's again and saw his death. Eyes blend red and his marks expanded until the met on the face of unadulterated bloodlust. The human reared back, fear dominating his face.

"I ...I …uh, please don't kill me! Okay, she not your sex slave," the man paused as Sesshoumaru growled in his throat at the disrespectful reference to Rin, "I assumed that she was… for her adulation toward you was in return." The man's head was bent down in reverence, though in vain.

The man kept digging himself into deep grave. The taiyoukai he was didn't allow Sesshoumaru to let this man live. His clawed hand reached above the man's head and he could almost feel the fright radiating from him. Taking the man's neck in hand, he raised him up by the scruff of his neck and used him to swing his body into the onlookers. The momentum surely broke his neck as the body was wiped around breaking his spine.

The men looked in horror at what could be them in if they did anything that would upset the irritable lord; they had no idea how irritable he was with his will power diminished. Sesshoumaru turned sharply, his hair flipping behind him as he made for the door. All breathing had stopped as he stopped at the doorway. Sesshoumaru's eye's closed as he concentrated his demonic energy. It was much more taxing than it should have been, but he wasted precious energy getting mad at the human bastard.

Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes after a long pause and his hand went to the handle of Tokijin. Spinning on balls of his feet, he unsheathed the demon sword sending a wave of destruction. The sound of strangled screams didn't go unnoticed to the floors below.

* * *

Inuyasha rushed though the tea house, trying to scent any one that wasn't already outside, but it was damn hard. It smelled so strongly of tea and other things it was hard to pick though every scent. He dashed though rooms one after another, when he heard a loud commotion from above him. **'Damn Sesshoumaru. Where are these pups at? I searched all room.' **The hanyou's mind raced to any places where this tea he hadn't looked. **'Upstairs? No, all people would have run away by now; Sesshoumaru would have made sure of it.' **

Inuyasha racked his brain for some place that he had overlooked. All the rooms were empty or had kotatsu in there. Each room had… cups! That means there had to have a kitchen. **'Of course! I wish that I had wasted so much time look for no reason. If it not on the second floor with Sesshoumaru and not on this floor with me, there must be another floor. **Inuyasha looked at his clawed feet, **'Not up, down.' **

Inuyasha pivoted around and began to track the smell of burning wood or cooking. Training his eyes and ears to the floorboards below him he searched for any sign of an entrance to the lower floor.

As he ran the listened for any noises, he heard dull thud as he ran. The inuhanyou stopped abruptly, turning around he looked at the floorboards. Inuyasha crouched down to the floor and hurriedly slid his hand over the floor looking for anything that would come up.

"Ah ha, I found it." He said as found a notch between the boards. Inuyasha pulled it up, snapping the lock, and it revealed a shaft with a ladder go into a candle lit room. Jumping down the shaft into the room Inuyasha searched for any people.

"Hey is there anybody down here? Come out! The dump is about to come down." He yelled as he walked to the other side of the room.

Once there he could clearly see a door. His clawed hand went to the door hinges when it was opened suddenly by a young man. He was about head shorter than Inuyasha but was looking straight at him. His hair was long and in a braid going down his back, but the most startling feature was his eyes. One was bright green and the other had been cut out, leaving a scar over his face.

"Why are you down here? You aren't allowed. You better go back up the ladder before someone catches you down here." The servant seemed very skittish.

"Didn't you here me? The place is coming down fast!" **'Thanks to Sesshoumaru'** "Move out of the way or anybody down here could be crushed." Inuyasha said to his face. Inuyasha pushed him aside and entered the place. Just as he expected it was a kitchen that was overrun with people, but he was surprised that they were primarily males. They stopped what they were doing and stood completely still, like they had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Listen up! I won't be repeating it. There is little time before this whole trash heap is going to come tumbling down. If you don't get out now you will definitely die here, in a basement of a sex house." Inuyasha yelled into the huge underground. He hated to be so blunt but it wasn't time to be nice about it. The group was now on edge, some of the older ones cringed at the possibility.

"Are you sure that you're going to win against all the demons here. Men have tried before and failed, making it worse for us," the scarred boy said to the dog-eared man that was supposed to come and save them. It could be easily said that trusting this demon was the farthest thing from his mind. The idea of trusting anyone like him aggravate the man, but he knew that he could let his doubts cloud his judgement while all the others' lives were at stake.

Drawing the Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha transformed his rusty blade into a demonic blade of imposing size, "I am damn sure that I can; and there hasn't been a demon that could beat me since Naraku died, kid. So stop being stubborn! It is not the time to be scared. Now, how many are there down here in the kitchen?"

Inuyasha urged them, looking around doing a head count of his own. There had to be at least thirty down here. How they all fit below the tea house was unimaginable. The people all looked dingy and dishevel. Inuyasha's golden eyes raked over the boys' faces, some pale with cheeks sunken in, and it honestly sadden the half demon. The scars among the calluses on their hands and feet angered him. Nobody this young should look like this.

"There are 18 boys under 14, ten over 15, four female, and a demon. Eleven boys if you count me. So that's 34 of us. " said the group leader with a hint of abhorrence when mentioning the demon.

"What demon? I don't see or smell any demons down here." Inuyasha was confused. He took another whiff of the air, but he only smelled the overwhelming odor of burning wood underlined by the sweat.

'**Why would a demon be down here in the kitchen full of human slaves? Probably a guard.' **Inuyasha pondered for a second before he heard beams creaking on the floor above him. Reality slammed back about the dwindling time

"What is your name there" Inuyasha pointed to tallest human he saw, "and yours?" Inuyasha glanced at the green eyed teen beside him.

A short haired adolescent stepped out of the kitchen and introduced himself, "I'm Gon." Gon bowed his head.

"And I am Ganryu. If what you say is true, then we need to get going. The demon is an extra that come from a raid. He was such a chatterbox that they were going to kill him but they threw him in a cage so they could eat him later. I don't think that he would be a good meal, but some people and demon like toad." The boy shrugged and pointed to the back of the kitchen.

Inuyasha had a slight suspicion whom the demon was, but it would have to wait. "I deal with that later. Ganryu you know how to get to the entrance, right? So lead all of them out of here and Gon is going to make sure all people and out of here."

The two teens nodded and ushered everyone out the door. The smaller ones were slower and being tripped over in all the commotion. Inuyasha was about to say something when the few young men picked up the small slackers. **'A least they can get it together and get out in time.'**

The hanyou demon crashed through the clustered kitchen and then saw that a small portion of the room was blocked off. The room was amazing clustered with damage furniture.

"Hey, is anyone back there?" Inuyasha yelled as the ceiling began to crumble above him.

"Yes! It is me, Jaken, servant to the great Sesshoumaru-sama. Are you here to rescue me? Did milord send you?" A squawking voice came from behind the wall of junk.

"Yeah you toad, now get out the way. I got to get you out quick; the whole place is falling down on us." Parts of the roof started to break and bend as the floors above it crumbled.

Inuyasha drew the Tetsusaiga and in one large swing made a path through the rubbish. The hanyou saw the green servant in a small metal cage on the floor, weighed down by large rocks. Inuyasha pushed the rocks off and lifted the top as Jaken yelled at him.

"What are you doing here you half-breed? I was waiting for milord to save me, not you," Jaken huffed. Inuyasha ignored him and roughly picked up the smaller demon.

"Shut up, you toad. It's your 'lord' that is tearing the building down in the first place!" Inuyasha shouted as he ran out of the kitchen, to get though the trap door. With light speed, the half demon leapt out of the collapsing basement up to the burning first floor. Flames had sprung up all around the pair and burning though the paper screen too quickly for Inuyasha's liking.

Inuyasha growled in frustration while the green demon in his squirmed and made a fuss. Since the building was caving in and falling apart from the fire, the silver haired demon decided that he was run through the tea house. Charred wood started tumbling down from the ceiling and then a deep growl sends vibrations throughout the damaged structure.

"Shut up, Sesshoumaru; you damn bastard!" Inuyasha yelled out to no one as timber fell on top of him and Jaken.

Sesshoumaru was now on the first floor as the second had come crashing down. The taiyoukai felt little regret for the mindless destruction, but then a sharp pain constricted his chest, causing him to falter. His breathing became harsh and his throat closed up, sore from over exertion. Fatigue had begun to set in after all the energy he expended.

'_I have to get out of this place,'_ Sesshoumaru thought as he tried to concentrate on find an exit. He thought about making an exit but he couldn't afford any more unnecessary youki depletion. Instead the taiyoukai went looking for a weak spot that he could get though easily.

The heat from the fire and inside his body was making Sesshoumaru sweat profusely. His hair began to stick to his neck as he walked toward the east side of the building that was still accessible. Through the clouding smoke, he saw a way out through a slight notch in an outer wall. Sliding through the gap the taiyoukai was able to get out of the building as it burned to the ground.

Once outside, he was greeted with a red sun as it set. The burning tea house lit the sky a smoky color. He heard the people near the entrance and then walked out from one side of the building, frightening the young girls. The boys immediately turned to see the threat. They all stood ready to fight.

"No! He's not like the other demons," the girl from the entrance spoke up. "He helped us to get out of this place. He is different." She looked at the demon, for affirmation.

Sesshoumaru looked at the girl a long moment, and then searched though the crowd looking for his ward, Rin. He spotted her as she tried to get through the crowd.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! I knew you come back for me, but where is Jaken-sama?" Rin stood in front of the demon lord and looked around. The little green servant couldn't be found. Sesshoumaru had been in such a rush that his absentmindedness had forgotten to get his pesky companion.

'_Well at least he can be revived once I find…Inuyasha?' _Sesshoumaru thought as he let his mind drift somewhat. It was become hard for him to think and make decisions. A wave of exhaustion was threatening to wash over him at any moment. The demon looked down at the girl in front of him, who met more to him than many other things, feeling a clench in his stomach that he may have made a terrible mistake. How were they all going to get to Tomonori's territory if he couldn't control himself?

Rin looked into the golden eyes that usually revealed nothing swim with haze. She had become worried about her guardian. Had saving her hurt him again? Guilt began to worm itself into chest but she shook her head, it wasn't the time for her feelings.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, is something wrong?" Rin asked. Her brown eyes watched his face go back to his normal empty expression instead of the unsettling lost one.

"No. I must find my brother before we retrieve Jaken. Stay here," Sesshoumaru said as he walked toward the ruins of the tea house. Inuyasha had to be around here somewhere.

On cue, there was a crash among the charred pieces of wood. The crowd fell silent, listening for anything from the collapsed edifice. A loud racket came as a large beam was lifted up, revealing a bloody, irritated hanyou. Rising out of the ruins like a phoenix from the ashes, Inuyasha was covered in ash and carrying some kind of black bundle.

Inuyasha made his way and stomped towards his older brother, "This imbecile belongs to you right?" Inuyasha held out a burnt Jaken. Inuyasha dropped the green demon as he walked away from his brother, extremely impatient. He was hurting and scratched up by falling beams and the fire, caused by his inconsiderate brother. His ears flicked back in irritation, but his head wounds made it painful. "You all okay, right?" Inuyasha nodded toward the audience of young humans.

They all nodded and dusted themselves off. Look over them, Inuyasha could see that they only had old bruises and abrasions. It relieved him that none had gotten any more major injuries. Now what to do with all of them? **'I guess we should return them to their villages,' **Inuyasha thought but it would be a problem to escort them all to different villages now. Sesshoumaru was too vulnerable and that would waste time that seemed to getting away.

"Sesshoumaru, we should take them back to the village we went through. There is no time for us to make it the next place if we circle back to all the small villages around here." Inuyasha suggested to his brother as he raked the soot out of his hair.

"I agree. Let us guide them there and then on to Tomonori's forest. Jaken, wake up. Its time we depart hastily," Sesshoumaru agreed with his brother, there was no reason to leave the children here by themselves so close to nightfall. Then he picked up his small servant and the green demon opened his eyes, coughed, "Yes milord" like always.

So with a little organization of the large number of young humans, they were able to move the group safely toward the village. Sesshoumaru held the front among the older boys who could fight and Inuyasha in the back along with Kirara bearing pregnant girls on her back. Sawa hovered over the massive group of almost eighty people as a light source, but he was mostly entertainment; the girls were still children after all. The journey was longer than expected and the sun was gone by the time Sesshoumaru spotted the village. When they walked into the village, everyone was in their house, scared of the night.

Then slowly people began to peek out of the houses to see the visitors in their village. All of a sudden, a woman came running out of her house, screaming, "Megumi!" She was greeted with tears of joy from her daughter as they embraced on the road. That triggered a great flood of people ruling out to search for lost children, even the man from before. Sesshoumaru watched as families were restored under the waxing moon.

"You have brought back our daughters and some many others. I misjudged you demons; you both are not like the others," the man came up to Sesshoumaru again to say. His head was hung as he spoke. "Please allow us to repay you for what you have done. Just ask and we will fulfill it the best we can."

Sesshoumaru nodded in response. "We needed to get food so we can leave as soon as possible," the lord said as he guided his possessions away from the joyous reunions.

Inuyasha guided Hana through the Nowa village in search of her parents. Hana still rode on Kirara back because of her condition, but her eyes were keen for any sign of her family. Her parents spotted her first and were surprised by her pregnancy. Hana smiled as she slid carefully from the saber demon's back.

Inuyasha watched the scene from afar for it was not really his place. Hana's mother reached for her child-bearing child, but the father held her back, his eyes narrowed.

"You are pregnant; by whom, or should I say, what?" Hana's father questioned her harshly. Hana smile disappeared as she waddled closer. What was she supposed to say, that she had been with demons and one had impregnated her?

"I don't … I don't know for sure, but I am sure it was a demon, father. Please father, don't be angry I did not have a choice. I was trapped in that awful place, but I am still Hana. Okaa-san, I can come home right, In have missed it so much," tears threaten to fall from Hana eyes as she pleaded with her parents to understand it, but it seemed hopeless as her father held his ground in front of the aging woman behind him.

Inuyasha felt sympathy for the girl. No one wanted to be linked to a half demon especially by blood. The only reason he even lived so long was because his mother was a princess and lived with guards for their safety. The situation was totally different here when the half-demon was an unwanted bastard from a forced union.

"You bare a demon's child. You expect us to let you in our house with a monster in your belly!" He yelled as he looked away from his daughter. The mother closed her eyes.

Hana wished that her family would over look the child maybe, but she looked back to Inuyasha for help. The half-breed laid his ears flat but said, "Being a half-demon myself I can say that many people are going to hate you and the pup more than that. The only people who can help you are people who really care about you. I can't tell you where to look for them but I know that you shouldn't take it out on the kid alright.

"Neither should you old man; family is something you have to take care of or you'll lose it," Inuyasha spoke directly to the human. **'This is so messed up, but what the world shuns is all half-breeds. Her mom seems like she is going to crack soon and given it to do the right thing. I know how much it hurts when people openly hate you.'**

Inuyasha turned to walk away when the young woman caught his eye by a pleading look on her face. He had really done helped all he could for the girl but the human in him wanted to help more. With reluctance, Inuyasha nodded his head signaling Hana to follow him. He walked for away, but didn't turn around until he was back with the masses. A small grin crept on his face Hana trailed slowly behind and Kirara. Now what was going to do with her, since he had invited her away from her family?

In the main road, there was much commotion trying to figure out where girls were from and how to get them there. Sesshoumaru stood off to the side along with his currently wounded dragons. As long his ward stayed in his sight after this tiring inconvenience on his journey. A great voice of celebration rose up out the mass of humans. It clamored in his ears but he did have the desire to do anything to

"Food will be prepared for this wondrous night of coming together and rescuing these poor girls!" A loud voice announced and there was a cheer of approval. Fires were started and pots with rice were brought out to the town center. Sesshoumaru didn't stir with the crowd but did call his Rin to his side to save energy and being bothered by her location.

Rin came to sit next to An Un and Jaken as he recovered from his injuries. The young girl attempted to tend to the wounds of her dragon companion. Sawa had taken residence in her hair now. It fit the girl to a T; the radiant child with her head adorned with the dazzling green of Sawa's aura.

Sesshoumaru watched half-heartedly as the people passed around food and such, but he did notice his brother coming with a girl with him. Sesshoumaru looked on as his brother showed the human, heavily pregnant human, to his location and sit her down near his assistants before sitting himself. Sesshoumaru simply stared at the girl, then to Inuyasha for an explanation.

"I don't know why I just did because I wanted to help the girl, so stop starting at me. Not like you haven't picked up a few as you went on your journeys," Inuyasha nodded his head toward Rin as an example, "Her name is Hana, Sesshoumaru. And Hana, this is my brother Sesshoumaru and his ward, Rin."

Rin greeted with a nod to Hana plus another to her extended torso. Hana nodded back and bowed as much as she could to Sesshoumaru.

'_This girl is pregnant with some demon's bastard most likely. What are we going to do with her because we certainly will not take her with us, brother, no matter haw badly you sympathize with this new woman you have found. Rin cannot be compared with this woman that is too heavy with child to sit on her own. This will cause a problem if we are to get to Tomonori before it's too late.' _Sesshoumaru thought as he assessed Hana's condition. His eyes stared start at her as she spoke quietly to Rin, but she seemed somewhat wary of him. The demon lord didn't changes his face but looked straight at Inuyasha again.

"Where do you plan on leaving her, half breed? The next town is out of the way and we almost out of time," Sesshoumaru now speaking to his brother quietly. His breathes had become labored slightly as his need for rest grew increasingly fast.

"I am thinking on it now. Maybe some food in my stomach will help me think," Inuyasha jumped up and head toward the fire. He sat down in front of the fire waiting for the food to be done, while people put together a wonderful meal.

An hour passed easily as he watched the flames of fires blossom all over the village. Many ideas had gone through his head but all of them were bad overall or ended up with Sesshoumaru extremely pissed and in heat. The latter was what really bothered him. The hanyou rested his head in his hands as he became more frustrated.

"Attention! It is time for the feast in honor of the return of our children and the heroism of the civil demons. Let the festival began now as we show our gratitude," the man from earlier said. All the parents and children bow toward their honored guests. Then people began to fuss about making bowl and platters of food to bring to their guest.

"Come there is no reason for you to sit on the ground when you can come to my home and dine properly. I am Denieru Tanaka," the man introduced himself to Sesshoumaru as he strolled over toward them.

Sesshoumaru nodded and stood gracefully to follow Tanaka. Rin helped Hana to follow closely behind the taiyoukai. Walk a short distance, they came upon the Tanaka house and were invited inside. Sesshoumaru spotted Inuyasha staring at them from a small fire. Their golden eyes communicated across the road and spoke volumes. _'Come on, then little brother. Stop act like an idiot.'_

'**Sesshoumaru is going somewhere now. I think he is waiting for me. I'm not a child.' **Inuyasha rose slowly to keep connection. He walked casually to his brother's side when he reached the guest party. "What are going to do now? Just stand here or go inside and eat?" Inuyasha asked. He got a sigh in reply as they proceed in the door.

Once inside the spacious house the loud announcer invited them to his long table. While food was brought in the door, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru sat across from each other near the head of the table; Tanaka sat at the head of the table. Hana sat down next to Inuyasha while Rin sat beside her lord. Jaken limped to sit in the next seat.

The food was good as far as Inuyasha was considered and everyone seemed to be eating as well except for the dog demon. Sesshoumaru was hardly touching his food and Inuyasha watched him just to make sure that he would actually eat something. Sesshoumaru was being picky, like a prick. Little conversation was spoken between the demons. Inuyasha glances turned into glares at Sesshoumaru, who ignored them.

"Well, Sesshoumaru-sama, I hope that you enjoyed the food. Sorry if it was not to your liking. I most personally thank you for return our girls, even the soiled ones," Tanaka said with a smile that didn't waver. Hana flinched at the comment, but said nothing.

Inuyasha spoke up, "Hey, Tanaka, if you want to be helpful could you watch over this girl over here," waving toward Hana. He smirked as the man's face fell from its polite smile.

"I guess that would be doable, Inuyasha-sama. She is welcome to our village under your protection, correct?" the village leader seemed to be confused.

"I guess. She can't go anywhere huge like that. I think that this village should be able to take care of a girl and her baby right? Don't whine about it," Inuyasha said looking directly at the man. His golden eyes blazed with a fire, turning compliances into ashes. The man nodded silently.

"There! Problem solved! I can handle important things, Sesshoumaru. Now we can leave whenever," Inuyasha said before stuff his face with more food. Hana smiled slightly as she looked Rin smile kindly for her. The demons had come to her rescue again.

"Then we will leave before dawn in the morning," Sesshoumaru replied while taking a small bite to contrast with the piggish display of his traveling companion. Everyone was happy for now. So now he could rest before the difficulty came tomorrow.

* * *

I hope that it was good enough for the wait but then again nothing is worth this long of a wait. what do you think shoulf happen with Hana or any suggestions. I am quite flexible

Review please


	12. Dark Wind Forest

This is unbeta'd for now. But this is where I decided to post before the chapter grew way too big. shrug.

**Inuyasha **_Sesshoumaru_

Chapter Eleven: Dark Wind Forest

The night came and went without incident. For the time being, the young Hana slept along with Rin inside of the hut that was given to them. Everyone slept peaceful in their dream world, except for the two brothers. Inuyasha stayed half awake just in case something happened; there was no telling if the more demons would come to seek vengeance for the destruction of the tea house. Inuyasha slept beside the only entrance to the modest one room house while Sesshoumaru was in a restless sleep.

Inuyasha sat up all night looking at his brother whenever the long-haired demon shifted in the house. The other demon slept, but it seemed something bothering him and it kept him uncomfortable. The younger male tried to relax in the house in order to rest but every shift of in the house brought him to full attention. Inuyasha had become frustrated with the whole situation dealing with Sesshoumaru's powerful scent and endless squirming.

In the middle of the night when Inuyasha decided it would be the best for him to just leave the hut now. He stood up to leave when Sesshoumaru made a noise, an unusually noise. He made a whining sound, in the back off his throat that surprised Inuyasha.

'**What the hell was that? Is he having a nightmare or something? Weird… I really have to get out of place for fresh air,' **Inuyasha stepped outside the doorway shaking his head. The sun was tinting the sky but the moon still dominated in the sky and the inhabitants underneath it. The moon was still missing a sliver from it full form. The next night would the full moon, a great time for traveling. Inuyasha sat to the right of the door and tried to catch up on some sleep that he seemed to be missing.

The furry eared demon rested as the sun rose higher with an orange glow. He decided it was time to go them to set off before more light went to waste. After a few brief stretches Inuyasha reentered the hut and announced the rising sun. Many heads rose lazily and examined the new surroundings while shaking off the morning grog.

Rin sat up slowly beside Hana, not before let out a loud yawn and letting her smile shine through. Jaken woke up complaining about being awakened by "a dirty hanyou" but Inuyasha chose to ignore him early in the morning.

"Jaken-sama, you shouldn't say things like that to Inuyasha-sama. He just saved our lives. You wouldn't say that if it had been Sesshoumaru-sama who woke you," Rin chided her older companion. Rin liked it when the brothers were together because they were all the family that there was left. Family was an important thing in Rin's life, since she had lost her own before meeting Sesshoumaru. As she thought on how family's importance, she looked at the slumbering taiyoukai. It was a rare sight to see, since the youkai was up before anyone else.

"Sesshoumaru-sama must be very tired. We bet get ready to go, right?" Rin asked Inuyasha with a determined look on her face.

"Yeah, we'll be setting of soon if the sleeping beauty over there ever gets up," Inuyasha said loudly to rouse his brother. He was put off when no sharp retort came from the older demon. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he realized the demon was not even conscious. It disturbed him that his brother was acting so strangely, again. Inuyasha was aware that Sesshoumaru had become more vulnerable, but sleeping though all this noise was terrible. A human would have stirred when Kirara growled or from Jaken awful loudness.

"Hey, stop playing around now. Sun's rise, bastard," Inuyasha started to get anxious. He walked over to where Sesshoumaru was prompted up in the corner. He extended his clawed hand and then drew it back as if to slap him. Inuyasha watched carefully for any sign of reflexes. He brought his hand down intending to slam it across his brother's face but stopped mid-swing right next to the marked cheek.

Still nothing. **'Might as well,' **Inuyashathought as he grabbed the sides off the Sesshoumaru face. With a fierce yank, Inuyasha pulled the pointed ears hard enough to probably rip them off. Sesshoumaru eyes shot up wide with surprise. "Hey, you are the last to get up! The pregnant girl is up and about before you," Inuyasha chided.

Sesshoumaru's face was silently confused, but it was quickly coated with irritation. Standing slowly, Sesshoumaru held a challenging stare with his half brother. Sesshoumaru's hand raked through his hair as he pushed his way past Inuyasha and out the door. Once outside, he noticed that it was morning. Sesshoumaru stood still until he could get himself together. Inside he could here his young ward asking questions about his odd behavior.

"Is there something wrong with Sesshoumaru-sama, Inuyasha-sama? He seems to be sick but I have never seen him unwell even after his was hurt in battle," Rin's voice was laced with worry.

"That is why I am here. Here to fix help whatever is going on with the land," Inuyasha's voice was quiet like he wanted to whisper but he knew he had to keep his tone normal. Sesshoumaru looked at the door for a second thinking about how much he had to do and how soon he would have to completely succumb to his heat 'needs'. He hated the thought but he had been through this before and over the many years, but never had it stopped him from losing himself in the heat haze.

The demon stepped away from the door and went into the village as it began to come alive. Feeling the villagers move about the morning was distracting for him. It was away from his troubles. While slowly strolling among the houses he kept his worries a bay. After some time clear his head he returned to the place where Inuyasha and others were staying. Sesshoumaru and his brother made brief eye contact before they passed each other. Inuyasha went to get supplies for the trip along with Jaken.

Rin and Hana sat down next to Ah-Un, stroking their injured necks. The smaller of the females was preoccupied and the other anxious about what was to become of her and her unborn child.

Rin turned toward her guardian as he approached and smiled warmly. She was glad that they had been reunited even if he was still ill from some demon disease. "Milord, Inuyasha-sama said that we will be leaving soon. Will Hana come with us to your next destination?" Rin asked.

"Don't ask silly questions Rin," Sesshoumaru replied.

"Yes Milord," Rin said before turning to Hana with a lopsided smile, not knowing if this was a good thing for the pregnant girl or not. "I guess this for the best," Rin whispered to herself.

While the four of them were stay on the outskirts of the village, Inuyasha had gone out and rounded up some traveling necessities that should last a while, maybe a week. Taking all the supplies he put it all in a burlap sack and went to pack it up with everything else.

"Let us get going before another day is wasted in this village." Inuyasha heard from behind him. He turned around to meet his brother's glance but the demon lord had already securing many of their things on to his dragon.

"Kirara, you ready to head out, aren't you?" Inuyasha called to his friend as he secured his Tetsusaiga to his hakama.

The saber's meow turned into a roar as she bound toward her companion. Inuyasha flashed a toothy smile as they all the demons and humans walked to the main road. As they went down the road they were stopped by a crowd at the end of road.

Waiting there was many of the young children that the brothers had rescued previously and mothers. Sesshoumaru stared at them at but annoyed that they were holding up his progression toward the Dark Forest. '_What could they possible want now? I hope no a favor for greedy humans,'_ Sesshoumaru thought as his patience was unusually thin.

One girl stepped forward, "We just wanted to thank you for want you have done for us. I know many demons don't think much of us humans, but you took time to help us and we are thankful."

All in unison to mob bowed down deep and announced: "Thank You! We are in our debt."

Inuyasha was a bit awkward but Rin and Hana beamed in excitement and cheerfulness. One the other hand the male in front was a bit unimpressed, but relieved that it wasn't another set back.

"Please remember this village will always remain loyal to your lordship," Tanaka said as he stepped out of the crowd. He walks up to Sesshoumaru and offers his hand for a shake.

Sesshoumaru looked at the offending hand, then away. "Clear the path. We are leaving."

In a scurry, the people of the village moved out of the way and opened the path out of the village. The demon lord led the way through the people. As the group reached the edge of the gathering, Rin and Hana stopped.

Rin turned toward her new friend "Well, this is good-bye for now until we meet again, Hana-san." Rin hugged her friend as best she could as with the plunging stomach in between them. Hana smiled slightly while hold her pregnant belly.

While the two separated, Inuyasha came to stand in front of girl he rescued. "Hey girl, listen for a second would you? It is about the kid you're carrying," he gestured toward her midsection. With a serious look in his eye, he said, "You are all that kid has got in this world. Humans and demons alike will hate him because he is in between. Don't think that because it might look like a demon that he evil or do better with them; that's totally bullshit. I know this personally since I am a hanyou." Inuyasha whispered the last part.

Hana looked up at silver haired man with teary eyes, watering from the shame she felt. She had planned on getting rid of the baby as soon as it was born or giving it to a demon, just like Inuyasha had said.

"I know you afraid of taking care of it, but you have to. That baby will die without someone so you," he emphasized by point his finger, "have to be its mother and from the looks of it, this baby is going to be the only family have. So don't mess it up, alright? I expect to see it when we come back through, so keep those silly ideas out of your head, girl." Inuyasha turned his head away, from the now crying girl, not wanting to see her sobbing face.

'**Wish life was like this, but it is. Hopefully the pup will have a better childhood than mine…'** Inuyasha thought as he walked away. His face was darkened by memories of the past, but he shook his head to dispel the images and keep going.

Sesshoumaru and his bunch had not strayed too far ahead while waiting for red-clad hanyou. Inuyasha caught up with Rin and her dragon friends in the back as Sesshoumaru led the front. Kirara lazily rode on Ah-Un's back while Jaken walked along with the Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha walked quietly, thinking about people in the village, when he felt a pair of eyes burning a hole in his skull. He looked over at Rin and saw her smiling, more like beaming away, at him.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "What are you staring at? Look where you're walking," Inuyasha told her, but Rin was not deterred. Inuyasha's ears twitch in irritation. "Do you want me to hit you, huh? Because that's what I am going to do," Inuyasha threatened.

"That was very nice of you Inuyasha-san. Hana was very lonely and now you are friends like we are. I don't think that you are as mean as you try to be," Rin said then quietly, "like Sesshoumaru-sama. He is a good lord." Rin grinned at her secret admission.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrow. While he turned his face away from Rin, muttering something about his frustrating morning, Inuyasha thought about what the youngest traveler said. **'I think that Rin is the reason for that icy queen's change in attitude toward humans. Those times when Sesshoumaru rescues Rin he seems like a person not just a lord.' **

On ahead of the two, Sesshoumaru was thinking of a way to get to and through the Dark Wind Forest before the night came and he was nearer the full moon. There was no way that this mismatch group was going to make it on foot there, but what was he supposed to do now. He was spent all he could allow without losing himself to the heat that radiating from his core.

'_This heat will be the death of me if I don't get to Tomonori's soon I will have to suffer through these night fighting for control of my body or give into the urge.' _The more Sesshoumaru thought about it the more he wanted to think of some way to reach his friend in time of his time of need. The lord racked his brain for some solution but it was too clouded, even though night was not here yet.

The restful sleep he had the night before had not rejuvenated him like he liked and stopping was out of the question. The desire to growl in frustration grew more and more the further they walked.

Jaken could see his lordship's tensions rolling of him like lava, but he kept his mouth shut out of fear of being hit. The green toad was used to long journeys but he would like to know where he was going even when he was just following the demon lord. After an hour of walking, the sun was up and shining brightly down on the travelers. Jaken had held in his growing complaints so long, that they just burst out of his mouth; "It's so hot! Not a single tree on the whole path for miles and it is the middle of summer! I would kill for a breeze. Oh sweet, sweet wind I long for something cool."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in irritation, but all of a sudden he came to a complete stop. _'Wind…'_ "Where is Sawa?"

Inuyasha, who had been daydreaming the whole time, slapped back to reality at the question. It was a good question since he had seen, or more so heard, the little bother in while. "Hey, Sawa are you here?" Inuyasha screamed all around.

Everyone looked around for some sign of the small wind sprite when Rin made a shrill cry. A green light came bobbing out the front of Rin's new kimono. Inuyasha stared in awe of the little green orb. Rin blushed like a cherry, hiding behind her hands.

'**He was hiding in Rin's front? Why?'** Inuyasha pondered. He was about to say something when he saw Sesshoumaru move.

The wind sprite was caught in instance by the demon's clawed hand. After squeezing the most of the life out of the demon, he asked why he was there without Rin's permission. His gold eyes delivering a piercing glare.

"I thought it would be a great place to stay since I was so tired. It was warm and spacious since there isn't a lot up there now," Sawa said before he was squeezed again. The green eyes widen as he realized his predicament. "It seems that I made a mistake! Please forgive me, I did not mean to make you so angry!" Sawa pleaded to his captor. He squirmed around in attempt to escape.

Sesshoumaru would have normally glared at the sprite and let it go, but now he could barely keep from squashing Sawa and watching the blood flows. Suddenly he anger was directed toward himself at his behavior. The taiyoukai threw the demon before pivoting away from the group to gather his composure.

"Sawa, take us to Tomonori's forest now," Sesshoumaru commanded, "We have no time to waste." His shimmering anger radiated off him.

Sawa vigorously nodded and summoned his winds, "Everyone has to get close together!" A tornado of green wind currents surrounded the group until they glowed a brilliant green, then _whoosh_ they were gone with the wind.

Rin felt dizzy as they landed but it felt similar to the way she felt after flying with Sesshoumaru. They land in a cleared area that led to a dense forest, the Dark Wind Forest of the taiyoukai old friend. He starts to walk forward and everyone followed after with Sawa stay close to the front.

The farther they trekked into the forest the denser and darker it became. The sun no longer warmed the body of the travelers as the wind rustled through the trees. Trees shaped the straight path until there seemed to be a dead end created by an overwhelming amount of shrubbery. Sesshoumaru turned his head side to side taking in the scent around him.

He remembered his way to his childhood companion but the forest had changed and become more menacing than he remembered from years before. Times had changed for all as humans became more invasive, daring and it was best to keep them away from a demon's resting place. Mentally frowning, Sesshoumaru stepped forward to bushes extending his hand to wait for the snap.

A moment later a vine whipped out of the bush, grabbing the demon's lord wrist and hand. It twisted about his palm drawing blood before it slowly slinking back into the bush. The bushes' leaves glowed a deeper green color before they uprooted themselves and moved to the side to create a path.

Sesshoumaru walked forward leading the group who obediently followed. Sawa flew up front, gliding through the air to whisper something into the pointed ear of the demon. The demon stopped in place while the Sawa went on. They waited in silent for a moment before Inuyasha trudged on.

'**Well, let's get move on. I don't smell anything around here except to those magic bushes,'** Inuyashabegrudged in his mind. He walked on behind the group suspicious of the wood around him. The bushes bound themselves together again once Inuyasha was clear of their roots. Inuyasha walked lightly, eyes darting everywhere around him. It was odd to have a forest without so much as a bird's nest among the trees, but Inuyasha kept it to himself, for now.

Sawa led the way shining gleefully. The dense air that hung among the trees seemed to penetrate the body down to the lungs. The coolness welcomed Sawa to the home he had know for years, decades. The trees changed the further they were older and more spiritual.

"We are here." Sawa whispers to trailing group. "Master, your faithful servant has returned to you," Sawa said into the nothing.

Sesshoumaru stopped and turned his head toward the trees beside him, waiting for the demon he had known for decades to step out. "Tomonori-san."

A man with equal stature as the western lord with hair flaming red as Inuyasha hamakas brushed up in a topknot came forward with clear blue eyes. Dressed in all black with a cream sash and undershirt on, he looked somewhat regal in his feature and stance. The demon kept his face blank but a smile began creep on to his face. "I am happy you were able to make it, though a little later than I expected Sesshoumaru-sama," Tomonori said bowing slightly. "And you brought some many companions! I am surprised that you have made … friends," Tomonori's tone was mocking, but his face held no contempt.

"Tomonori-san, there is hardly anytime for jokes or humor. Time is precious, you know this," Sesshoumaru chided his old friend. He made eye contact with the blue eyed demon to communicate his growing distress. He knew that the demon could smell him and tell that he was in heat no matter how hard he did try to hide it.

The wind demon nodded and turned to leave. The group followed after him into the darkness relying on the others in front of them to lead them to through. When Tomonori came to a stop it was in front of a house that seemed to be out of place in the forest. It looked as if nothing had ever touched the house, not rain or leaves that surround the structure. It was without windows, only a door on the front of the house

"Welcome to my abode, I will have you as my guest for a while, I assume," Tomonori said as he summoned magic into his hand and waved toward the house. The illusion disappeared and an old, long building made out of stone that had been rounded with age.

Walking inside Inuyasha was impressed with how the sizable manor was hidden in such as small illusion. Inside was dimly lit with another demon greeting them at the door.

"Kyoko-sama!" Sawa exclaimed as he flew with great enthusiasm into the arms of the beautiful demon. The demon was dressed in dark silk kimonos that framed a petite but womanly figure. Her hair was also flaming red up in a sloppy bun that looked formal and beautiful on the fair skinned demon. The lady of the house seemed to have eyes as green as new leaves in the spring with a long marking on her face resembling a vine connecting her left eyebrow to her ear.

"Hello, my friend. I have been so lonely without you. No more missions for you, you should stay with me and Asuka-chan," Kyoko said as she pressed the small demon to her bosom. As small smile came across her face as she looked down at her brother's messenger. "Greetings, Sesshoumaru-sama and your brother Inuyasha, I, Kyoko, hope we might help you regain what is yours.

"I accept your assistance," said Sesshoumaru as he stepped further into the house.

Jaken, Rin, and Inuyasha all came inside when the dragon twins waited outside. Inuyasha surveyed the house investigating the concrete structure of the actual …manor. Inuyasha notices the kimono and comeliness of Kiyoko but decided to keep his thoughts to himself. **'Don't need to be Miroku here and get kick out of a place to stay.' **He mentally chastised himself.

"Big place you have here, it looks dinky from the outside," Inuyasha concluded. The entire room was dimly lit and sealed off by walls.

"Yes, I like to keep it looking small so that we don't stand out too much but I still deserve to live in comfort," Tomonori explained. "We can talk about the house later but we have some delicate things to discuss so Kyoko, can you watch his lordship's ward for a while.

"Yes, I can." Kyoko looked down at the dark haired girl that had come in behind the brothers. "Come child, what is your name?" Her hand reached out to Rin as she came out from behind her caregiver.

"My name is Rin, nice to meet you," Rin said as she bowed to the demon. Grasping the hand extended to her she was lead away from the men of the group.

"Jaken, accompany Rin." Sesshoumaru commanded. The little green demon squawked initially before muttering about being sent away as he stomped away. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and Tomonori smirked amused before leading them another way.

It turned out to lead to a staircase leading downward. **'Another underground hide away?' **Inuyasha thought as he walked down the stone staircase.

Tomonori ushered to sit at a table as he went to sit on the other side. The room was lit by lanterns in each corner, giving the room a dim yellow glow. After Sesshoumaru sat Tomonori else sat as well showing his respect.

"Who has contacted you about their loyalties, Tomonori?" Sesshoumaru was straight to the point. Time was not on his side at the moments by any means.

"Quite a few actually, why me, I have hardly the slightest." He played ignorant while keeping his eyes carefully away.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. '_Foolishness. We both know that you make the wind whisper whatever you want, Tomonori. From what I saw I thought many would sway with the transition. At least not all are power hungry.' _"Don't play games. We should think about when the battle will happen and how long will it take for the masses to arrive," Sesshoumaru said.

"Well, you seem to not have time to catch up… maybe later. As for when they will arrive I believe many will be here in 7 days. The wolf clans remain loyal and will be here in two days hopeful," Tomonori informed the brothers of the situation. "There is room in my forest but we can't hide them for long; that in mind our attack may have to take place as soon as a fortnight from now."

"That soon? Will everything be ready by then like formations and armor? It could be a slaughter," Inuyasha voiced his concerns. **'And how close is that to the new moon?'** the hanyou wondered. He would be there but he doesn't what to be vulnerable.

While pull his hair down, Tomonori said, "I assure you that these generals are not the kind to sit idly around and let their troops fall in to disarray. Battle is never to far away now with land becoming scarce and humans spreading. I wouldn't be surprised if their human eating demon clans on the prowl now from this upheaval. They are tiresome to deal with but I digress; they can wait until after the coming battle. I can only see that there being some trouble with hundreds of men crowded some place they aren't familiar would cause hostility, but there should be no great disadvantages, Young Inuyasha." Tomonori combed his fingers through his hair then laying it over one shoulder.

"According to some ears, their generals from across the seas coming to help you, but that could be silly tricks of the wind. Things such as this are made up among troops but who knows anymore," Tomonori continued, "How are you doing, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"As expected. You've known, Tomonori, for decades these… events." Sesshoumaru glared coldly at the man. He was not going into details with the older demon after so many years they had known each other. When he was younger, it was Tomonori that his father invited to teach young Sesshoumaru to control himself and fight off demons that would appear ever year.

Tomonori held eye contact with him, "I know, that why I am asking. Stress can make things even more difficult than they usually are. I know that you have outgrown your temper and can control your urges, but things aren't going as expected now are they. I know that you value plans and calculations but I know the Sesshoumaru that is not himself." He kept his blue eyes on the gold ones that flicked in the lighting, remembering times when those eyes were fiery golden pools of excitement.

Sesshoumaru tensed but said nothing. He took a deep breath that resembled a sigh to cool the heat that was welling up in his chest. This body was telling him to mate with someone but control would keep him from acting foolishly. Sesshoumaru longed to break eye contact to gain composure but he would not concede.

Inuyasha sat there the entire time watch the two men. He could see something underneath the conversation and he didn't like it. Tomonori was old enough to know Sesshoumaru when he was hardly mating age, and this riled Inuyasha up more than expect. The dog hanyou had already adjusted to Sesshoumaru's scent by slowly like breathing out his mouth quietly so he didn't have to smell the alluring pheromones oozing from the demon. Inuyasha crossed his arms across his chest and scowled at the fire-haired demon sitting across from him. Unknown to Inuyasha, his own feet were constantly tapping on the ground betraying him, showing his discomfort and ire.

Time is running out. I know that you won't be able to hold out much longer, don't try to fool me," Tomonori said seriously, his brow furrowed. He leaned into Sesshoumaru personal space his hair falling forward like a curtain to frame his face. "I would love to help my lord in his time of need, if you would allow me to like in old times."He whispered as a breeze came from the wind demon and blew over the silver haired demon's shoulder along his neck.

Sesshoumaru refused to move back in order to save face but he did involuntary twitch as the coolness coaxed his neck. Before he could do anything there was a growl from beside him, a clawed hand swing out in front of him.

"Back off!" Inuyasha barked. He stood up instantly as the man got too familiar with his m… brother. He felt power surge though him as his inner demon roared inside him. _**'Don't get close to what's MINE!' **_Inuyasha was sure he saw red for a second as he glared at Tomonori leaning on the table. Neither person broke eye contact as the tension in the room.

"Stop, half-breed. Calm yourself before you…" Sesshoumaru spoke drawing their attention back to him, but he was interrupted by fierce eyes that stared at him with the same golden color as his own. The speckles of red around the eyes are what gave him pause. He was sure that Tetsusaiga was still on his brother hip, so what why was let the demon seep into Inuyasha.

The hanyou snapped out his anger and blinked to look at Tomonori again. He opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't think of a good excuse to why he reacted. Sesshoumaru was his own person who could handle something like that even if he was vulnerable. No witty retort came to mind, so he stood up straight before huffing back into his seat. The floor held his attention for a while as the awkward moment passed**. 'What's wrong with me? Acting like some crazed person! Tomonori is just an ally but… I don't like him with his attitude. Flirting with Sesshoumaru is'** his thoughts were broke off by a swelling of anger that came up into his throat. He swallowed it back down pressing his ears back on his head, shook up by the fierce pounding in his chest.

Tomonori's face was blank until another smile began to creep on his face. He looked the hanyou in his hideout closely, noting the blush that was sprouting. The smile became a full grin when he looked at Sesshoumaru who was look at his brother out the corner of his eye. "I am sorry Sesshoumaru-sama, I was too forward," Tomonori bowed to his old pupil. His eyes didn't reflect his rebuffed tone; they were full of mischief as if there was a secret only he knew.

"Well, the air is far too tense now. I believe we can continue after diner, correct? I believe it can be arranged," the eldest demon announced. With the wave of his hand he led them back upstairs to the main house. The three men went inside the room where they had left their companions in the sitting room. Opening the screen door they were greeted by a cute sight. Rin was braiding long red hair while standing behind Kiyoko who was leaning forward so that Rin can handle all her hair. It seemed to be a similar style to the one that Rin had when she left the tea house. Jaken was sitting solemn in the corner supervising in noisy, grumbling manner.

"The girls seem to be getting along, no? Your hair looks gorgeous, Kiyoko; thanks to you Rin-san." Tomonori did a mock bow toward Rin. She blushed and bowed back with a large smile on her face.

"We have decided we should eat now. I am sure that you have travelled a long way over the western lands. Sawa since your home, tell the others to prepare food for our guests," commanded Tomonori.

The green demon floated up into the air and salute before flying off into the nearby wall. This made Inuyasha confused that Sawa went IN to the wall. **'Little guys full of surprises, heh?'** Inuyasha tinted his head to the side, twitching his ears in interests. He also noticed his neck was so tense that it made moving hurt. The tension from his previous demonic outburst had taken a lot out of him. He cracked his neck before crossing his arms to take a position leaning against the doorframe.

Rin continued to braid and twist humming happily. Kiyoko began to whistling the same to melodically sounding like a flute. "Will we be staying with you Kiyoko-sama? Your house is so pretty. I think that Sesshoumaru-sama's house would be like this but really big." Rin started to chat with the other female.

"I would think so, but you should as Sesshoumaru-sama if he wishes to stay in our abode," Kiyoko glanced over to Sesshoumaru. He just looked away. He had a lot on his mind;_ 'Tomonori's entire forest is a safe haven for now, should we stay or scope out the forest? Confining Inuyasha to Tomonori's house may cause problems if they start challenging each other again. I am too tired to stop them…'_

"We will see."

A few moments later Sawa came back with three more demon sprites in various colors. Red, white and lavender sprite all flew in through the same wall and to their master. "The room is ready," they all said in unison.

"Thank you, Asuka, Akiyo, Sawa and Sho." Tomonori smiled at his mini servants.

He then turned to the wall and with the wave of his hand, the wall turned to leaves before falling to the ground. Behind the wall was a dining area with food arranged all around the table. Various food that were fit for the nobility that common people or demons could never afford.

They all gather to sit at the table but then came tension after Sesshoumaru sat at the head of the table. Tomonori and Inuyasha both stared at the chair to the right of Sesshoumaru. Now this would not usually matter to Inuyasha, who didn't care who sat where, but every fiber of his being screamed not to let the wind demon take the seat.

"Don't even think about it. That is my seat," Inuyasha growled as he moved to the seat. Tomonori stepped in front of him with a smile, "I believe it is my house so I would the one to sit to the right. You should sit to the left so we are evenly placed. Wouldn't that be best?"

"Like hell! You sit on the left! So we're 'even'" Inuyasha shouted as he stepped to the demon's face.

"Don't be so childish and don't shout in my face, pup. I have sat at Sesshoumaru-sama's right hand for a long time. You should sit to his left side to milord's _left_ hand," Tomonori respond with tone blizzard cold and eyes turned to a stormy grey as he made his point clear. Tomonori had never been especially pleased about the hanyou had done to the taiyoukai by cut off his arm. He was not one for hostility but Inuyasha brashness did sway him the wrong way.

Inuyasha's jaw clenched and ears twitched with guilt at the jab. He wanted to say something but could so he turned his head away. He was about to say something back when Sesshoumaru intervened.

"Rin, come." Sesshoumaru watched Rin jump up and come stand next to him. He pointed to his left and said, "Sit."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin answered as she took her seat.

Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder to the demons left standing. "Sit down and eat, half breed, Tomonori." His face was tight and serious, leaving no room for argument.

Inuyasha and Tomonori took their seats in order with a huff and a sigh. Inuyasha looked at his brother but he was not look in their direction, instead he was entertained by Rin and her talk about how happy she was to be back with her caregiver. Inuyasha frowned a bit but sat there and ate.

Tomonori looked at Sesshoumaru for a long time before he apologized for his behavior since he was acting senselessly and arrogantly. Sesshoumaru spared a long sideways glance at Tomonori but said nothing.

The rest of dinner went smoothly and quietly, thankful. Sesshoumaru had a headache that was throbbing right behind his crescent mark. He stopped the two arguing because it was making his head hurt worse. _'If only they weren't so loud. I feel terrible enough with this fatigue that is drawing the life right out of my core. This heat should be over soon, so I can get my lands back.'_

_

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I know that some people are probably waiting for the romance/slash part of this story and that is what is coming up. I just had to get the ground work landed for the future chapters which was hard because I kept changing my mind but I think that I am got now. The next chapter is easy and hopefully the readers will help me stay focus because its hard for me. So just poke me ever once in a while. Flames hurt and make me sad so they will help no one. _

_I am working without a beta for now but I don't know if I should just pick someone from the system or what. If you can recommend someone that would be great. I do want my old beta back but... we'll see how that goes.  
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_Have a generous Thanksgiving. :)  
_


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